Old Scrump's Cider House - Cider & Perry Events What's On Guide: Cider Festivals, Apple Days and Wassailing

January 2008

Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th January - 7th Derby Twelfth Night Winter Beer Festival at Darwin Suite, Assembly Rooms, Market Place, Derby
Opening times: Thursday: 6pm-11pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-5pm & 6pm-11pm
Admission: Thursday: £3.00/CAMRA members free. Friday & Saturday day sessions £2.00/CAMRA members free; evening sessions £5.00/CAMRA members £1.00. Student Concessions on production of appropriate Student Card. Tickets on sale for the Friday and Saturday evening sessions at the beginning of December from the Derby CAMRA website and the Flowerpot Pub in Derby.
Details: Over 90 real ales, Ciders, Perries and foreign bottled beers with a unique Festival Special. Live entertainment at all evening sessions.

Saturday 5th January - Ross Cider Wassail at Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: 6pm to start the Wassail procession at 6:30 pm
Admission: £5.00 per person
Details: Wassail procession takes place at 6.30pm; the procession around the farm uses uneven paths. Please wear stout footwear or boots. This activity is at your own risk! Join us afterwards – live music featuring Chicken Shed Zeppelin with bar and food (mulled cider available). Limited numbers, so please let us know if you plan to come; email ross_cider@talktalk.net.

Saturday 5th January - Sompting Village Morris Wassail at The Vine Pub, Tarring High Street, Sompting, West Sussex (01903 202891)
Times: 5pm
Admission: Free
Details: An ancient custom of blessing the apple trees. Gather around an apple tree to shout, sing, and chant so that evil spirits are driven away. Cider soaked bread is thrust into the tree's branches as a thanks offering. Apple trees are toasted with mugs of wassail and hot cider.

Saturday 5th January - Wassail at Community Orchard, Lawns End, and The Bishop John de Grandison Inn, Clanage Street, Bishopsteignton, Devon
Times: 7.00pm & 8.00pm
Admission: ??
Details: At 7pm, the Apple Queen and her entourage will be accompanied by the mummers and Grimspound Morris plus musicians, singers & muskets to wake the trees. The orchard has no light so bring lanterns & torches to light the way and pots & pans, buckets & spoons to wake the trees. Following the wassail the crowd will form a procession following the musicians to the Bishop John de Grandison Inn, Clanage Street, Bishopsteignton for mulled wine, roast local pork and apples and Border Morris dancing at 8pm followed by a traditional mummers play at 8.30pm. For further information contact: marilynb@europe.com.

Saturday 5th January - Community Orchard Wassail at Milton Country Park, Cambridge Road, Milton, Cambridge CB4 6AZ (08450 450 500)
Times: 3.30pm
Admission: Free (donations welcome)
Details: "2008 will be a big year for the park. Help us get off to a good start by coming to our first wassail event to bless our community orchard and the park. Bring warm clothes and things to make some noise with." T
he park's community orchard will expand with the planting of 12 new fruit trees and the rangers are looking for sponsors for each of the trees at just £50 for a year. All the trees will be local varieties including Cottenham Seedling, Histon Favourite and Huntingdon Codlin apple trees and Cambridge Gage and Wallis Wonder plum trees. All these trees have all been sourced from the East of England Apple and Orchard Project. The newly planted fruit trees sponsored by local people will be blessed at a Wassailing event. Directions: follow the signs from the A14/A10 junction outside Milton village or take the no.19 or 19A bus that regularly stop and pick up 500 yards from the Visitor Centre. Contact: Malcolm Busby on 01223 420060

Saturday 5th January - Bodmin Wassail at Bodmin, Cornwall
Times: ??
Admission: ??
Details: Wassailers in gentleman's hand-me-downs such as top hats and frock coats bear their greetings of "wassail" around the houses of Bodmin carrying on an unbroken tradition. They sing the Bodmin Wassail, the Old Song, carols and Cornish songs and are rewarded with hospitality and with money for charity. Contact: Peter Marlow on 01208 76373.

Saturday 5th January - Wassail at Daventry Country Park, Daventry, Northamptonshire
Times: 1.00pm-2.00pm.
Admission: ??
Details: Wassail the young orchard with music, a procession, hot appley food and drink and singing of the traditional wassail. Contact: Dewi Morris, Countryside Ranger on 01327 302485

Saturday 5th January - Wassail in the Orchard at Rivers Nursery Orchard, Sawbridgeworth, East Hertfordshire
Times: 6.30pm-8pm
Admission: tbc
Details: Traditional Music and refreshments. For more information please contact Hazel Mead on 01279 724503 or Kate Yarnold on 01279 723617

Saturday 5th January - Wassailing in Shenley at Shenley Park, Radlett Lane, Shenley, Hertfordshire WD7 9DW (01923 852629)
Times: 6.30pm-8pm
Admission: Free (donations welcome)
Details: Come Wassailing at Shenley Park. Meet in the Stanley Lord Orchard. If coming by car, please park use the car park adjacent to the Shenley Tearooms.

Saturday 5th January - Carshalton Wassail at Carshalton, Surrey
Times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: tbc

Sunday 6th January - Twelfth Night with the Lion's Part Theatre Co. at Bankside by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London
Times: from 7.00pm
Admission: Free and accessible to all
Details: Not a traditional wassail - and probably not a drop of cider to be seen - but it's the best the poor Londoners are going to get! A celebration of the New Year mixing ancient traditions with contemporary festivity. Contact: 0208 452 3866 or email info@thelionspart.co.uk.

The Holly Man from the Thames: To herald the celebration, the extraordinary Holly Man, the Winter guise of the Green Man (from our pub signs, pagan myths and folklore), decked in fantastic green garb and evergreen foliage, appears from the River Thames brought by the Thames Cutter, Master Shipbroker (subject to the weather).
The Bankside Wassails: With the crowd, led by the Bankside Mummers, the Holly Man will 'bring in the green' and 'wassail' or toast the people and the River Thames (an old tradition encouraging good growth) with our London Town Crier. The Globe will be wassailed in like fashion.
The Mummers Play: The Mummers will then process to the Bankside Jetty, and perform the traditional 'freestyle' Folk Combat Play of St. George, featuring the Turkey Sniper, Clever Legs, the Old 'Oss and many others, dressed in their spectacular 'guizes'. The play is full of wild verse and boisterous action, a time-honoured part of the season recorded from the Crusades.
King Bean and Queen Pea: cakes distributed at the end of the play have a Bean and a Pea hidden in two of them. Those who find them are hailed King and Queen for the day and crowned with ceremony. They then lead the people through the streets to the historic George Inn in Borough High Street for a fine warming up with storytellng, the Kissing Wishing Tree and more dancing.

Sunday 6th January - Wassail at Bodmin, Cornwall
Times: ??
Admission: ??
Details: Wassailers in gentleman's hand-me-downs such as top hats and frock coats bear their greetings of "wassail" around the houses of Bodmin carrying on an unbroken tradition. They sing the Bodmin Wassail, the Old Song, carols and Cornish songs and are rewarded with hospitality and with money for charity. Contact: Peter Marlow on 01208 76373.

Friday 11th January - Wassail at Waggon & Horses and the Community Orchard, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
Times: 7.00pm
Admission: Free
Details: Wassailing was first celebrated in January 2002, the event is now held annually at the Community Orchard usually on the 2nd Friday of January. Wassail Evening starts at the Waggon & Horses in Hartley Wintney High Street with a short performance by Hook Eagle Morris Men. Wassailers then make their way in a torchlight procession, led by local Scouts and Hook Eagle Morris Men to the Orchard a few minutes walk away where, fortified by locally produced sustenance and the contents of the Wassail Cup, Wassailers ‘Wassail’ an adjacent apple tree before returning with musical accompaniment, to the Waggon & Horses where, traditionally, the group enter by the back door, toast the landlord and depart from the front door. Starts 7pm at the Waggon & Horses. Contact the Parish Council for further details on 01252 845152

Friday 11th to Saturday 12th January - Exeter & East Devon 19th Festival of Winter Ales at Lower Exhibition Hall, Exeter University, Exeter
Opening times: 11am-11pm
Admission: £2.00 CAMRA members; £3.00 non-members. Free before 5pm on Friday.
Details: Over 60 winter-only ales and festive ciders. Commemorative festival glass £1.00 extra. Hot and cold food available at all sessions. Live entertainment Saturday evening only. No advanced tickets.

Saturday 12th January – Hunters Moon Wassail at Middle Farm, Firle, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 6LJ
Opening times: tbc
Admission: Free
Details: The largest Wassail in East Sussex. Look out for further details on the Hunters Moon website nearer the date.

Saturday 12th January - Wassail at Church Orchard, Stoke Gabriel, Devon
Opening times: 6pm
Admission: Adults £2.00, children £1.00, families £5.00.
Details: Celebrate the ancient traditions of twelfth night in Stoke Gabriel's community orchard. Enjoy a barbeque supper and apple cake then watch the wassailing of the trees by the wassail queen, morris dancing and singing in the orchard. Warm up in the pub with storytelling into the night. Meet outside the scout hut next to Church Orchard, Stoke Gabriel at 6pm. Please bring a torch and wrap up warmly.

Saturday 12th January - Isca Morris Men Wassail at The Ostrich Inn, Newland, Monmouth GL16 8NP
Opening times: 8pm
Admission: Free
Details: A traditional cider wassail based on the Ostrich Inn at Newland, just to the south of Monmouth. The wassail begins at around 8.45pm

Saturday 12th January - Kenninghall Land Trust Wassail at Kenninghall Wood, Kenninghall, Norfolk
Opening times: 5.30pm
Admission: ??
Details: Wassailing the orchard at Kenninghall Wood which was planted in 1999 as a community wood of five and a half acres of native trees including a one acre orchard containing many Norfolk varieties. Bring your own lamp and torch. Kenninghall Wood is 17 miles south of Norwich, and signposted from the Red Lion in the village; contact: lands-trust@kenninghall.org.uk.

Wednesday 16th to Saturday 19th January - National Winter Ales Festival 2008 at New Century Hall, Corporation Street, Manchester
Opening times: Wednesday 5.30-10.30pm, Thursday 4.30-10.30pm, Friday noon-5pm & 5pm-10pm, Saturday noon-10pm
Admission: Wednesday £3.00/£1.00 NUS + OAP with NUS card/evidence; Thursday: £3.00; Friday & Saturday £3.00 day session/£4.00 evening session. CAMRA members £1.00 off at all times. Season ticket to all sessions- £9.00/£7.00 CAMRA members/£9.50 corporate entertainment tickets.
Details: Over 200 British and Foreign Beers, Bottled Real Ale, Ciders and Perries. CAMRA products shop, family area, food, T-shirt + poster shop, quiet areas, tombola. Special event: Champion Winter Beer of Britain. Live entertainment from Bad Dog (Thursday) Curragh Sons (Saturday evening)

Thursday 17th January - Charity Wassail at Rich's Cider Barn, Mill Farm, Watchfield, Highbridge, Somerset TA9 4RD (01278 783651)
Opening times: 8pm
Admission: tbc
Details: Charity Wassail in aid of the Air Ambulance. Plenty of Rich's Cider (including their excellent mulled cider!). Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels will be playing two 45 minute sets.

Thursday 17th January - Wassail at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury (01458 831197)
Opening times: 7.00pm-9.00pm.
Admission: Adult £6.00; Child £3.00. Tickets available in advance from Glastonbury Tourist Information Centre.
Details: A traditional celebration of Old Twelfth Night in the Abbey Barn. Wassailing the orchard by candlelight accompanied by live music and mulled cider and apple cake.

Thursday 17th January - Wassailing at Parke Estate, near Bovey Travey, Dartmoor, Devon
Opening times: 6.30pm
Admission: Children £2.50.
Details: Help the National Trust celebrate the winter in a traditional way to ensure the Parke Estate orchard gives a bumper apple crop next season. Book on 01626 834748.

Thursday 17th January - Wassailing at Buckland Abbey National Trust, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6EY (01822 853607)
Opening times: 7.30pm
Admission: Normal admission charges apply.
Details: Help rouse the apple trees from their winter slumber at this traditional ceremony, wrap up warmly and bring something noisy! Meet at the Great Barn at 7.30pm.

Thursday 17th January - Wassailing at The Butchers Arms, Carhampton, near Minehead, Somerset TA24 6LP (01643 821333)
Opening times: 7.00pm
Admission: ??
Details: The Butchers Arms is one of the very few pubs which continue the ancient tradition of Wassailing, and claims the longest unbroken wassailing tradition in England. Slices of toast soaked in cider are put in the apple trees behind the pub, the Carhampton Wassailing song is sung, guns are fired to ward off evil spirits, and cider is poured around the trees roots. Then back in the pub for live music. An event enjoyed by the local community. Advised to get to the pub by around 7pm, wassailing starts around 8pm. Contact 01643 821333 or info@butchersarmscarhampton.co.uk

Thursday 17th January - Wassail at Barrington Court (National Trust), near Ilminster, Somerset TA19 0NQ (01460 241938)
Opening times: ??
Admission: ??
Details: Wassailing Barrington Courts extensive cider apple orchards.

Thursday 17th January - The Whimple Wassail at Whimple, Devon
Opening times: ??
Admission: ??
Details: Another renowned Wassailing event. No details about times and places, so check dates and times with the local Tourist Information before travelling!

Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th January - 1st Colchester Winter Ale Festival at Colchester (venue to be confirmed)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Over 40 real ales including seasonal specials from local brewers, Ciders, Perries, local wines and Belgian Beer bar. Free soft drinks for drivers. Supporting CAMRA's Stout and Porter initiative. Members of Craft Brewers Association will be brewing at the festival and giving home brewing advice. Live music on Saturday night. Food all sessions, including Hog Roast. Souvenir glass tankards available.

Saturday 19th January - Chepston Wassail and Mari Lwyd at various locations in Chepstow
Opening times: 2pm onwards
Admission: tbc
Details: Proceedings start 2pm at the Bridge Inn and Three Tuns pubs in Lower Chepstow with Morris dancing, folk music and beer festival, with a marquee at the bandstand. Later, around 5.30pm there will be a Wassail held at Elmdale, a meeting of Welsh and English on the Old Town Bridge around 7pm and a Mari Lwyd at Chepstow Castle. There are also plans for a children's Mari Lwyd at the Bandstand in the afternoon.

Saturday 19th January - West Croft Wassail at West Croft Cider, West Croft Farm, Brent Knoll, Burnham on Sea, Somerset (01278 760762)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: West Croft Wassail is a traditional Wassial which includes Pig Roast, Mulled Cider, Apple Cake, selection of West Croft ciders and candlelight procession ceremony. Raising money for children's cancer charity.

Saturday 19th January - Wassail at Horfield Organic Community Orchard, Horfield Allotments, King's Drive, Bristol
Opening times: 2.00pm-4.00pm
Admission: ??
Details: Wassailing the community orchard, with mulled cider, apple juice and cakes & Morris dancing. Contact: 0117 924 8124 or pauline.markovits@blueyonder.co.uk

Sunday 20th January 2008 - The Wassail at Garden Organic Ryton, Coventry, Warwickshire CV8 3LG (024 7630 3517)
Opening times: noon to 2.30pm
Admission prices to the gardens: £6.00 adults (includes one child admission free)/£5.50 concessions/£3.00 additional child (age 5-16)/Free Under 5s.
Details: Come along to see Elephant up a pole perform their traditional wassailing ceremony in our organic orchard to encourage a good harvest.

Sunday 20th January 2008 - Wassailing at Willsbridge Mill at Willsbridge Mill, Bitton, Bristol
Opening times: 2pm-5pm
Admission: Free
Details: Join the lively ceremony to revive this long lost local tradition which takes place to ensure a good fruit harvest the following season. Make noisy instruments and lanterns for our procession to wake the orchard up from its winter slumbers. Fruity trails, orchard games, home made apple refreshments. Contact Ruth Worsley of the Avon Wildlife Trust (0117 932 6885) for more information.

Sunday 20th January - 5th Annual Wassail at the orchards at Skidbrooke Cider Company, The Grange, Skidbrooke, near Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 7DH
Times: 11am.
Admission: ??
Details: The 5th annual Wassail at the Skidbrooke Cider Co. together with the Grimsby Morris men and followed by a plough play and dancing at the nearby Prussian Queen pub. Contact: 01507 339368 or email skidbrookecyder@tiscali.co.uk.

Monday 21st January - The Three Counties Cider and Perry Association AGM at Westons Bottle Museum, Much Marcle
Opening times: 7.30pm

Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th January - 19th Bent & Bongs Beer Bash at Formby Hall, Atherton, Lancashire
Opening times: Thusday 6-11pm; Friday 5-11pm; Saturday noon-4pm, 7-11pm
Admission: Thusday £4.00; Friday £6.00; Saturday £4.00 per session. CAMRA members £1 discount. No advance tickets. To avoid queues, arrive before 6.30pm on Friday and before 1.30pm on Saturday.
Details: 70 real ales, Ciders and draught foreign lagers. Admission includes commemorative glass and programme. Live Entertainment with all proceeds to charity.

Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th January - Burns Weekend Beer Festival at Lion Inn, Basford, Nottingham
Opening times: normal opening hours
Admission: free
Details: Special Scottish beers range, Sunday: bagpiper and haggis at 6.30pm. Live music at 7.30pm and 9pm; cider tree planting 8.30pm.

Sunday 27th January - Cat & Wheel Cider Festival, 207 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5QX (0117 942 7862)
Opening times: open all day
Admission: Free
Details: The landlord promises a range of local Ciders including Mole Brewery's own Black Rat ciders. Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels will be playing live between 7pm and 10pm.

Thursday 31st January to Saturday 2nd February - 4th Pendle Beer Festival at Colne Municipal Hall, Colne, Lancashire
Opening times: Thursday 6pm-11pm, Friday: noon-11pm, Saturday: noon-11pm
Admission: Friday £4.00 after 6pm; all other sessions £2.00. CAMRA members free all sessions.
Details: 'All at Sea' beer and cider theme. Over 65 real ales, cider, perry and bottled beers. Festival Glass. Food available all sessions. Live music every evening. Balcony seating all sessions. Disabled access. Children welcome lunchtimes. Soft drinks for drivers.

Thursday 31st January - 13th Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival at Watson Hall, Barton Street, Tewkesbury
Preview Night for CAMRA members only (see below)

Thursday 31st to Saturday 2nd February - Magpies Beer Festival at Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane Club Bar, Nottingham NG2 3HJ
Opening times: Open Thursday evening, all day Friday, Sat 11am–3pm and 5pm-11pm
Admission: tbc
Details: Over 50 Beers and Ciders

February 2008

Thursday 31st January to Saturday 2nd February - 4th Pendle Beer Festival at Colne Municipal Hall, Colne, Lancashire
see above

Thursday 31st to Saturday 2nd February - Magpies Beer Festival at Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane Club Bar, Nottingham NG2 3HJ
see above

Friday 1st January to Saturday 2nd February - 13th Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival at Watson Hall, Barton Street, Tewkesbury
Opening times: Friday: 11am-3pm and 6.30pm-11pm; Saturday: 11am-11pm. CAMRA members-only preview: Thursday 31st January: 6.30pm-11pm.
Admission: £1.00/Free Friday day session. All sessions free to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: 60 Winter-only Ales, stouts and porters from around Britain, Local Cider and Perries.

Friday 1st January to Saturday 2nd February - Dorchester Beer Festival at Corn Exchange, Dorchester
Opening times: 11am-3pm and 6pm-11.30pm
Admission: £3.00 Friday lunch, £4.00 Friday lunch, £5.00 evenings
Details: 50 Real Ales and Ciders. Entertainment at evening sessions. Quiet room also avail for evening sessions. Ticket includes admission, glass and first half pint. Additional free pint to card carrying CAMRA members available from West Dorset CAMRA, 18 Lodmoor Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5AF (incl SAE). Cheques payable to "West Dorset CAMRA".

Friday 1st January to Saturday 2nd February - Chesterfield CAMRA Beer Festival at The Winding Wheel, Holywell Street, Chesterfield
Opening times: Friday: 5pm-11pm, Saturday: 11am-3pm and 6.30pm-11pm
Admission: £5.00 per session. CAMRA concessions available on entry.
Details: Theme celebrates 30 years of Chesterfield CAMRA by featuring local cask ales (30 mile radius). Around 100 beers available (including a full range of our sponsor Fullers), Ciders, Perries, country wines, bottled World Beers and free soft drinks. Live entertainment from local rock covers band Firecracker on Saturday evening. Food available at all sessions. Entrance includes Festival glass, programme and 1st pint at all sessions. 18+ only.

Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th February - 18th Battersea Beer Festival at Grand Hall, Town Hall Road, Lavender Hill, London SW11
Opening times: 11am-5.30pm & 6.30-11pm daily
Admission: £2.00/£3.00 after 5pm. CAMRA members £1.00 discount all times.
Details: 100+ kils of beer from around the country, Traditional Ciders, Perries, country wines, continental beers. Hot and cold food, and soft drinks available.

Thursday 7th to Saturday 9th February - Ale & Arty Stockton Beer Festival at The Arc, Dovecot Street, Stockton-On-Tees, Cleveland TS18 1LL
Opening times: 11am-5.30pm & 6.30-11pm daily
Admission: Thursday & Friday daytime 80p; free to card carrying CAMRA members; evening sessions: £4.00. Saturday £3.00 daytime; card carrying CAMRA members get a £1.00 beer ticket; evening session with bands £10.00.
Details: Over 70 real ales, ciders and perrys, bottled beers, CAMRA stall and Cleveland's amazing tombola. Bands on Thursday: Wildcats of Kilkenny, Friday: The Foundations, and Saturday: New Age Jam and BeatleManiacs. Refundable glasses and programme available. Full disabled access and facilities.

Wednesday 13th to Saturday 16th February - Rotherham Oakwood Legendary Real Ale Festival at Oakwood Technology College, Moorgate Road, Rotherham
Opening times: Wednesday to Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday noon-11pm.
(Note: Wednesday/Thursday is for CAMRA members and Festival-invited guests only! This does not include CAMRA members' guests).
Festival bars closed 5pm-6pm on Saturday, visitors can remain in warm non-drinking areas.
Admission: £6.00 advance tickets/9.00 on door. CAMRA members £3.00 on the door (including non-returnable glass). Wednesday/Thursday: £2.00 for non-returnable glass for CAMRA members only. Advance entry tickets not needed for CAMRA members. Membership cards essential. Reduced re-entry to Fest with 2008 Festival Glass.
Details: Over 200 real ales, over 25 fine wines, Ciders, food and Foreign Bottled Beers. Four entertainment areas plus quiet bars (check website for band line-up), rock, blues, pop, folk, dance.

Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th February - 26th Fleetwood Beer Festival at The Marine Hall, The Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancashire FY7 6HF
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Over 100 real ales, Ciders, Perries and Foreign Bottled Beer. Bar, food and entertainment.

Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th February - 25th Luton Beer Festival at Hightown Sports & Arts Centre, Luton LU2 0JD
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm, Friday noon-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm
Admission: Admission free to CAMRA membs all times, except Fri after 6pm (£1.50).
Details: 80 Real Ales, Ciders, Perries and Imported Beers.

Friday 15th & Saturday 16th February - 2nd Bath Cider Festival at Bath Pavilion, North Parade Road, Bath, Somerset BA2 4EU (01225 486902)
Opening times: Friday: 7.30pm-11pm; Sat: 11am-4pm, 7.30p-11pm.
Admission: Advanced tickets are £5.00 per session available from the box office or the Bath Pavilion website, or £6.00 on the door.
Details: The Bath Cider Festival will have over 70 different ciders, as well as pork, apple and stuffing rolls for sale. Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels will be playing two 45 minute sets at each session; exact times to be confirmed.

Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd February - Winterfest XVI at Thorngate Halls, Bury Road, Gosport
Opening times: Friday 6.30pm - 11.00pm, Saturday 11.00am - 3.30pm & 6.30pm - 11.00pm
Admission: All Tickets £8.00
Details: Over 70 Real Ales, Ciders, Perries and Foreign Bottled Beers. Admission ticket includes half pint souvenir glass, programme and half pint of any beer up to 4.8%. Extra £1 token for card-carrying CAMRA members. Details: Ticket entry only, avail from selected local pubs/ post: 7 Beverley Rd, Fareham PO14 2NS (on sale early Jan). Cheques payable to "Portsmouth CAMRA"; please enclose a SAE and evening contact number if possible. Ticket Hotline 07921 550860. Live entertainment from The Georgia Ramblers (Fri), Gosport Silver Band (Sat day) and This Way Up (Sat evening).

Thursday 28th February to Saturday 1st March - Bradford Beer Festival at Victoria Hall, Saltaire, West Yorkshire
Opening times: Thursday 6pm-11pm; Friday 11.30am-4.30pm and 6.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-4.30pm and 7pm-11pm
Admission: Thursday £2.00, Friday day session £1.00/CAMRA members free, Friday evening session £5.00; Saturday day session £3.50, Saturday evening session £4.00. Prices include Programme and Commemorative Glass (except Friday lunch session).
Details: Over 100 real ales, Cider and foreign beers. Children's room available for daytime sessions. Hot and cold food at all sessions. Entertainment on Friday night, Saturday (both sessions).

Friday 29th February to Saturday 1st March - Wrexham Beer Festival at Larkfields Resource Centre, High Barns, Ely
Opening times: Friday 5.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-10pm
Admission: £1.00/Free card carrying CAMRA members
Details: Over 40 real ales from local East Anglian brewers. Award winning Cider from Pickled Pig Co and other local producers. Barbeque and cold food available at all sessions.

March 2008

Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th March - Sussex CAMRA 18th Beer and Cider Festival - Hove Centre, Norton Road, Hove, Sussex
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday 11am-3pm and 5pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-3pm and 5pm-10pm.
Admission: Thursday £3.50; Friday £3.00 daytime & £6.00 evening; Saturday £3.00 daytime & £5.00 evening (2.00 student concession on Saturdays available when buying from Hove Centre with NUS card). Tickets available from local outlets (Brighton & Hove: Hove & Brighton Centres, Bell, Evening Star, Sir Charles Napier; Shoreham: Buckingham Arms, Southwick, Romans, Lewes: Gardeners Arms; Worthing: Selden Arms), on door (subject to available) or SCBCF Ticket Sales, 13 Rudyard Rd, Woodingdean, Brighton BN2 6UB (07784 944277). Please state session(s) you want to attend, and include a SAE with cheque/Postal Order payable to CAMRA Sussex Beer Festival.
Details: Over 200 ales, a large selection of Ciders, Perries, English Country Wines and British/Foreign Bottled Beers. Live music Saturday evening from Copperhead. Catering by The Splendid Meat Company. Hot and cold food, veggie options (balcony area) and soft drink, teas/coffee. Downstairs bar is Sussex Bar (Sussex breweries only beers). Full disabled facilities.

Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th March - London Drinker Beer & Cider Festival at Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, London WC1
Opening times: Wednesday & Thursday 12-3pm and 5pm-10.30pm; Fri noon-10.30pm. Last admission 10pm.
Admission: £3.00 / CAMRA members £1.50 (free Wednesday + Thursday lunchtime).
Details: Wide range of Beers, Imported Beers (Draught + Bottled) and more Cider and Perry than before. Excellent hot and cold food.

Wednesday 12th to Saturday 15th March - Leicester Beer Festival at The Charotar Patidar Samaj, Bay Street, South Churchgate, Leicester LE1 3AE
Opening times: Wednesday 5pm - 11pm; Thursday 11am - 11pm; Friday 11am - 11.30 pm; Saturday noon - 11pm. CAMRA members get in free at all times with a valid membership card.
Admission: Wednesday £2.00; Thursday £2.00; free before 4pm; Friday £3.00; free before 4pm; Saturday £2.00 all day.
Details: 200 Beers including some Festival Specials, 30 Ciders and Perries. New LocAle bar will feature 40 Beers brewed within 20 miles of Leicester City Centre. Also Wine from two local vineyards and quality apple juices. Authentic Indian Curries and English food, including veggie choices available at all sessions. Souvenir festival glass £2 refundable.

Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th March - Leeds Beer, Cider & Perry Festival at Pudsey Civic Hall, Leeds
Opening times: Thursday & Friday 11am-3pm, 5pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-4pm, 6pm-11pm. CAMRA members gain admission 15 minutes earlier all sessions.
Admission: Thursday £3.00 evening, free afternoon; Friday £4.00 evening, free afternoon; Saturday £3.00 per session. Student free with valid NUS card on Thursday evening. CAMRA members free at all times.
Details: Over 150 real ales, traditional Real Cider and Perry from all around-best range in the North, global Beer Bar, dedicated Fruit Beer handpump, rare beers, famous favourites and beer tastings, Mild Trail. Hot and cold food, full disabled access, no smoking. Local musicians performing, and some quiet sessions. Beery stalls, snack emporium and tombola. Restrictions on admission numbers - get there early to avoid disappointment! Over 18s only - please bring ID. Staff needed (get free beer, glass, food tokens and staff T-shirt).

Friday 14th to Saturday March - 11th Annual Bristol Beer Festival at Brunel Passenger Shed, Temple Meads, Bristol
Opening times: Friday 11.30am-4/5pm, 6.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-4/5pm, 7pm-11pm. Confirm times on website.
Admission: Sold Out!
Details: Over 120 Real Ales and 40 Ciders & Perries. Food available all sessions. Ticket price includes admission, programme and commemorative glass. Card-carrying CAMRA membs get free half-pint voucher.

Friday 14th to Saturday 15th March - Hitchin Beer & Cider Festival at Hitchin Town Hall, Brand Street, Hitchin
Opening times: Friday: noon-11pm; Saturday: 11am-11pm
Admission: Friday: £2.50/£1.00 before 4pm; Saturday £2.50 all day. Card carrying CAMRA and Round Table members free.
Details: 50 Real Ales, with good range of Cider, Perry and Foreign Beer including Foreign Draught Beer. A quiet festival, in association with Hitchin Round Table. Two halls and lots more seating! Disabled access/toilet facilities available. Souvenir Glasses, hot and cold food, tombola and products available.

Friday 14th to Saturday 15th March - 'Beware The Ides of March' Overton Beer Festival at St Lukes Hall, Overton, Hampshire
Opening times: Friday 6-11pm; Saturday 11-3pm and 6-11pm
Admission: £5.00 Friday, £6.50 Saturday evening, £4.00 afternoon.
Details: 35 Beers and Ciders in friendly village setting. CAMRA shop, Tombola, Families welcome Sat lunchtime, Entertainment on Saturday evening. Volunteers welcome. Concessions to card-carrying CAMRA members. Ticket price include souvenir glass. Advance ticket recommended all sessions. Cheques to North Hampshire CAMRA with SAE to 9 McFauld Way, Whitchurch, Hants, RG28 7LR.

Friday 14th to Saturday 15th March - Winslow Beer Festival at Winslow Public Hall, off Elmfields Way, Winslow
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-7pm & 7pm-11pm.
Admission: £5.00 each session. Tickets available from Bell Hotel, Market Square, Winslow or from festival website.
Details: In association with Lions Club of Winslow. All proceeds to charity; last year nearly £7k to local charities. Over 40 beers, lagers and ciders available. Ample parking and on bus route for Buckingham and Aylesbury. Entry fee includes commemorative glass and official programme wth tasting guide. Light refreshments available. Card-carrying CAMRA membs get complimentary drink voucher. Final RBS Six Nations Rugby matches (Italy v Scotland, England v Ireland + Wales v France) shown on large screen Saturday Matinee.

Sunday 16 March - The Wurzels at Family Race Day at Fontwell Park Racecourse, Fontwell, nr Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0SX (01243 543335) This is one of Fontwell's popular Family Race Days with The Wurzels playing live during the afternoon. There will also be a Food and Drink Fair, Cider Bar, fun fair rides, bouncy castles, face painters and free colouring bookings for the children. Admission starts from £17 and children aged 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Jump Racing: First Race: 2.15pm; Last Race: 4.55pm.

Friday 21st March - Cyder Friday at Fleece and Firkin, 12 St Thomas Street, Bristol BS1 6JJ (0117 945 0996)
Opening times: noon-6pm
Admission: Free.
Details: From the folks who brought you Cyder Sunday, comes Cyder Friday! Authentic live West Country music from the Surfin Turnips and wide selection of real local cyder. Hot and cold food available. Live music from 3pm.

Friday 21st March - Traditional & Rare Breeds Farm Park: Grand Re-Opening at Weston's Cider, Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: What better way to spend Good Friday than by revisiting the marvellous menagerie at Weston's Cider's very own farm park? Plenty of fun for children of all ages, and of course, cider galore for those who aren't driving home afterwards!

Friday 21st to Monday 24th March - The Black Dog Beer Festival featuring The Wurzels at The Black Dog, Main Street, Broadmayne, Dorchester DT2 8ES (07990 810689)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: Free all weekend; Easter Sunday special (Wurzels) £10.00 in advance.
Details: Over 20 real ales, ciders and beers from around the country, with free live music throughout the weekend. Easter Sunday special - The Wurzels playing in the marquee from 1.00pm.

Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd March - 3rd Thanet Easter Beer Festival at Winter Gardens, Margate, Kent
Opening times: Noon-10.30pm
Admission: Friday £3.00, Saturday £2.00. Card carrying CAMRA members free.
Details: over 200 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries. Hot and cold food available all times. Beer related exhibition, tombola, live entertainment and quiet sessions both days.

Thursday 27th to Sunday 29th March - 18th Doncaster Beer Festival at The Hub, Chappell Drive, Doncaster DN1 2RF
Opening times: Thursday 5.30pm entry CAMRA members (6pm rest) to 11pm; Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: £3.50 (£5.00 Friday after 6pm). CAMRA members free entry all times, only returnable glass hire fee payable.
Details: Over 80 Beers, Ciders and Foreign Bars. Food available until 9.30pm. Entertainment Friday night.

Thursday 27th to Sunday 29th March - Hull Real Ale & Cider Festival at Horncastle Building, Hull College, George Street, Kingston-Upon-Hull
Opening times: Thursday-Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: £2.00 after 6pm Thursday & Friday. Entry free all times to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: 74 Real Ales (34 by handpumps), 25 Ciders and Perries, 15 Belgian and German Bottled Beers. Hot and cold food, snacks and soft drinks available. Live acoustic entertainment Thursday and Friday evening.

Thursday 27th to Sunday 29th March - 3rd Bexley Beer Festival at Sidcup Sports Club, Crescent Farm, Sydney Road, Sidcup DA14 6RA
Opening times: Thursday 6-11pm; Friday 11am-5pm; Saturday 11am-11pm
Admission: Thursday: £2.00/CAMRA members £1.00. Friday 11am-5pm £1.00/CAMRA members free, 5-11pm £2.00/CAMRA members £1.00. Saturday £2.00/CAMRA members £1.00
Details: Over 60 Beers and Ciders. Souvenir glasses, snacks and entertainment available.

Friday 28th to Sunday 29th March - 1st Spring Beer & Cider Festival at Town Hall, Burton Upon Trent
Opening times: tbc
Admission: Noon-11pm
Details: Over 80 Real Ales and Ciders. Ales served directly from casks under cooling jackets. Driver's Bar with soft drinks. Hot and cold food all sessions. Families welcome until 6pm. Two quiet rooms with seating. Live music both days: lunchtime Friday and Saturday Martin Atterbury on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ; Friday evening 8.30pm The Top Cats (local rockabilly band); Saturday evening 8.30pm The Mick Rutherford Band (local raw blues/covers).

April 2008

Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th April - 32nd Newcastle Beer Festival at Newcastle University Students' Union, Kings Walk, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Opening times: Wednesday 6pm-10.30pm; Thursday & Friday noon-10.30pm; Saturday noon-7pm.
Admission: Admission including souvenir glass and programme £4.00. Free admission to CAMRA members all times.
Details: Over 120 Ales and Ciders from around country. Volunteers needed from Monday 31st March.

Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th April - Walsall Beer Festival at Walsall Town Hall, Leicester Street, Walsall
Admission: Free at lunchtime (11am-3pm) and before 7pm. £3 Thursday evening 5-11pm; £4 Friday & Saturday evenings 5.30pm-11pm. Free at all times to ID card carrying CAMRA, NUS & HM Armed Forces
Details: A selection of 100 beers from around the country, traditional perries & ciders and foreign bottled beers. Limited edition souvenir glasses available. Hot and cold food served throughout. CAMRA shop on site (cash and cheques only). Quiet session Thursday. Live Entertainment: Friday lunch - Tony Lister on the Piano; Friday night - Mike Durkin Trio (Acoustic pop covers); Saturday lunch - Peter Morris on the Town Hall organ; and Saturday night - Sons of the Sod (Irish folk).

Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th April - 6th Maldon Beer Festival at Town Hall, Market Hill, Maldon, Essex
Opening times: Wednesday 4pm-11pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am to 11pm.
Details: Over 50 real ales and ciders. Live music on Saturday night from Songs From The Blue House. The souvenir glass will be in celebration of the 60th anniversary season of Maldon Rugby Club. Food available at all sessions.

Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th April - Mansfield Beer & Cider Festival at The Intake Club, Kirkland Avenue, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 5QP.
Opening times: Thursday 5-11pm; Friday Noon-6pm, 6.30pm-11.30; Saturday 11am-6pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm; Sunday Noon-2pm.
Admission: Card-carrying CAMRA members free all times. Non-Members: Thursday£2.00; Friday/Saturday: Daytime £2, Evenings £5, £7 on the door; Sunday Free. Tickets (Friday/Saturday evenings) from Intake Club, Bold Forester, Greyhound, Mansfield Woodhouse, or by post. Credit Card Line: 01623 471306.
Details: Over 100 Beers, Lagers, Ciders, Perries and Fruit Wines from independent and microbrewers. Full range of types and strengths available including some new beers. Soft drinks, Wine, Food and Snacks availalbe at all sessions. Evening entertainment: Thurday: Band Comp.; Friday: The Jalapenoes, Vickerstaff's Dog House and No Fixed Abode. Saturday: New Jersey (Bon Jovi tribute), Whytesnake (Whitesnake tribute), All the Kings Men and Kick'n'Rush; Saturday : Ripley Morris Men (1pm-3pm).

Friday 11th to Saturday 12th April - Coventry Beer Festival at Coventry Rugby Football Club Ground, Butts Arena, Butts Road, Coventry
Opening times: Noon-4pm, 6pm-11pm
Admission: £1.00 afternoon, £2.00 evenings. Free to card-carrying CAMRA members all times. Glass hire £2.00 (refundable).
Details: Over 85 beers (special beers from local breweries), ciders and perries plus Country Wines. Food available all sessions. Ample parking, coach parties welcome.

Sunday 20th April - Carriage Driving Display at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ (01531 660108)
Opening times: 11.30am
Admission: tbc
Details: Come and see the Carriage Driving Society set off at 11.30am from Westons on the Kempley Woods “Bluebell Run”. Before heading off, judging will take place for the best turned out in parade.

Wednesday 23rd to Sunday 26th April - East Anglia Beer Festival at Corn Exchange, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Opening times: Noon-11pm
Admission: Free; fast track entry given to CAMRA members with valid Membership card.
Details: Expected to have 70+ superb East Anglian Ales available; also a good selection of quality local Ciders. Free soft drinks for designated drivers.

Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th April - 31st Maltings Beerex 2008 at Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QR (01531 670544)
Opening times: Thursday 6–11pm, Friday 6pm–11pm, Saturday lunch 11am–3pm, Saturday 6pm–11pm.
Admission: £6.00
Details: Famous not only for its excellent selection of real ales, ciders and perries, but also it's fun-filled atmosphere. Scrumpy & Western band The Yetties will be playing sometime over the weekend (date/time not confirmed yet). Tickets are available from Sunday 2nd March from 7am to 9 am at the Maltings; buy early to avoid disappointment! For more information, please call the box office on 01252 745444.

Friday 25th to Saturday 26th April - Chippenham Beer Festival at Olympiad, Chippenham
Opening times: Friday6pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-3.30pm, 7pm-11pm.
Admission: Friday £5.00, Saturday £4.00 evening / £3.50 afternoon. Advance tickets only for evening sessions. Concessions at door for CAMRA members.
Details: Over 90 Real Ales, choice of Ciders, Perries and Foreign Bottled Beers. Live music all sessions. Price includes souvenir glass and programme.

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th April - Open Day at Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider, Llest Farm, Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff
CF38 2PW
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Following the success of last years events, Gwynt Y Ddraig have decided to open the farm up for two weekends this year. More details to follow...contact Gwynt Y Ddraig for further information.

Sunday 27th April - Bonjour Brighton Raceday & West Cider Festival at Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road, Brighton BN2 9XZ (01273 603580)
Opening times: gates open at noon; first race 2.10pm.
Admission: Premier Badges - £18.00 on the day / £16.00 in advance; Grandstand & Paddock badges: £13.00 on the day / £11.00 in advance; Concessionary Grandstand & Paddock badges (Students, OAP’s and Registered Disabled): £9.00 on the day only. Under 16’s are admitted FREE when accompanied by a paying adult. Grandstand and Paddock and Concessionary badges can be upgraded to Premier badges on racedays for £5.00.
Details: The Bonjour Brighton Raceday, in association with Transmanche Ferries, has seven horses races as the cream of racing battle it out to be among the first winners of the season; first race: 2.10pm; last race: 5.25pm. Other events include the West Country Cider Festival with over 60 ciders and perrys for sale, Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels playing two complete sets - plus the usual hog roast and hot dogs. Also the Upsan Down’s Derby, authentic French and Sussex markets, St George Vs The Dragon race, and the decadent Moulin Rouge bar complete with Can Can dancers!

May 2008

Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th May - 14th Reading Beer & Cider Festival at Kings Meadow, Napier Road, Reading, Berkshire
Opening times: Thursday 4.30pm-11pm; Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm; Sunday noon-9pm.
Admission: Thursday £4.00, Friday £5.00, Saturday £6.00, Sunday £4.00; £2.00 to CAMRA/EBCU members all sessions.
Details: Over 430 Real Ales, over 140 ciders and perries, over 140 foreign beers, and over 35 English Wines. Food available all times. Quiet day Thursday; live music other days in main tent. Quiet tent at available all times. Sunday - Family Day with children's entertainment and dray horses. Plenty of seating. Glass hire £2 all times (refundable).

Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd May - 10th Kingdom Of Fife Beer Festival at Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Fife
Opening times: Thursday: 4.30-11pm, Friday: noon-12am, Saturday: noon-11pm
Admission: £4.00 CAMRA members, £5.00 non- members
Details: Over 40 beers, ciders, perries, German Bottled Beers and Wines available. Soft drinks, food and snacks available all sessions. Live music Friday & Saturday evenings.

Saturday 3rd May - Cider and Perry Trials 2008 at Putley Village Hall, Putley, Herefordshire HR8 2QN (01531 670544)
Opening times: 2pm - 4pm
Admission: open to entrants only!
Details: The Annual Cider and Perry Trials are now an established event for craft cider and perry makers from the region and beyond. Previous entrants or those who have requested forms should have received entry forms by now. You can also download an entry form and print it out if you wish from the event website. Entry forms must be received by 30th April at the absolute latest.

Sunday 4th & Monday 5th May - Blossom Weekend at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ (01531 660108)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Take a tour around the Mill, and/or a self-guided ramble through one of our Orchards taking in nature’s promise of a fine crop. Browse through the Visitor Centre and sample a selection of over 30 varieties of traditional ciders and perries.

Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th May - The Big Apple at Putley, Herefordshire (01531 670544)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Unique community events amongst the orchards. Enjoy Blossomtime in the village of Putley. Taste more than 40 ciders, meet cidermakers, walk through orchards in blossom.

Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th May - 8th Banbury Beer Festival at TA Centre, Oxford Road, Banbury OX16 9AN
Opening times: Thursday: 5pm-11pm; Friday: noon-midnight; Saturday: 11am-11pm
Admission: Thursday: £1.00; Friday £3.00 / £2.00 before 5pm; Saturday Free; £2.0 before 5pm. Free to card-carrying CAMRA members at all times.
Details: 80 Real Ales and a good selection of Cider and Perry. Food at available all sessions. Entertainment all day Saturday including barbecue (afternoon) and singer/guitarist Paul Canning (evening).

Friday 9th to Saturday 10th May - Erewash Valley 2nd Ilkeston Beer Festival at King Edward IV Suite, Regency Banqueting Rooms, Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 5HF
Opening times: Noon-11pm.
Admission: Price: Afternoon sessions (before 6pm) £2.00; Friday 6pm-11pm £2.50; Saturday 6pm-11pm £3.00. Card-carrying CAMRA members 50p all times.
Details: Over 60 beers, plus Cider and Perry, Fruit Wines and soft drinks. Limited number of commemorative glass to buy. Hot and cold food available until 9pm. Entertainment: Saturday afternoon - Black Pig Morris Men and Belly Dancers. Saturday evening - Free Wheel Drive.

Friday 9th to Saturday 10th May - 14th Macclesfield Beer Festival at TA Centre, Oxford Road, Banbury OX16 9AN
Opening times: Friday 7pm-midnight; Saturday: noon-3.30pm, 7pm-midnight
Admission: Friday: Non-members £10.00 / CAMRA members with card £7.50; Saturday: afternoon session - free Entry, CAMRA members get 1st pint free, after 7pm - non-members £10.00 / CAMRA members with card £7.50.
Details: 120 different Cask Ales, Foreign Bottle Beer, Cider and Perry, Wine and soft drinks also available. Food available all sessions. Music all sessions - two bands on each evening; background music Saturday lunchtime. Tickets sell out for evening sessions, advanced booking is advised.

Wednesday 14th May - Cider and Perry Competition at The Cider Museum, 21 Ryelands Street, Hereford, Herefordshire HR4 0LW (01432 354207)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Enter the competitive world of cider-making and watch the experts vying for the top international awards.

Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th May - 25th Rugby Beer Festival at Thornfield Bowling Club, Bruce Williams Way, Rugby CV22 5LL
Opening times: Wednesday 7pm-10pm (CAMRA members only); Thursday 6pm-11pm; Friday 5.30pm-11pm; Saturday Noon-11pm.
Admission: £1.50 Thursday/Saturday, £2.50 Friday; CAMRA members free all sessions.
Details: Over 60 Real Ales, 12 Farmhouse Ciders, Hot & Cold food. Family room (Saturday lunchtime).

Thursday 15th to Saturday 17th May - 20th Chester Charity Beer Festival at Chester Rugby Club, Hare Lane, Vicars Cross, Chester CH3 7DB
Opening times: Thursday-Saturday 7.30pm-11pm (no lunchtimes).
Admission: £5.00 Thursday, £8.00 Friday, £7.00 Saturday (available from Mill Hotel, Chester). Admission by advance ticket only Friday & Saturday. Concession for card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: Over 70 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries. Live entertainment, pub games, hot and cold food all sessions, commemorative glass and programme, CAMRA stall and membership. Disabled access available. More improved floor this year. Tickets from Craig Papworth, 115 Woodlands Drive, Hoole, Chester CH2 3QJ. (mob) 07779027341 (email) beerfestival@chestercamra.co.uk. Cheques payable to Chester Round Table, with SAE.

Friday 16th to Sunday 18th May - 19th Yapton Beerex at Yapton & Ford Village Hall, Arundel, West Sussex
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-3.30pm, 6pm-11pm; Sunday Noon-3pm.
Admission: Tickets available from mid-March (£5.00). Sunday free - just turn up. Price including glass and prog. Members concession £1 tokens (not Sunday).
Details: Over 65 Real Ales and Cider. Food available. Entertainment Saturday Eve only. Vintage bus from Barnham Stn (Saturday lunchtime). Send SAE (with session you want to attend) to: Yapton Beerex, Maypole Inn, Maypole Lne, Yapton, Nr Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0DP. Cheques payable to: CAMRA Western Sussex Branch.

Friday 16th to Saturday 17th May (possibly Sunday 18th May) - 2nd Stratford-upon-Avon Beer & Cider Festival at Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse, Stratford-upon-Avon
Opening times: Friday: 6pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm; Sunday 12-3pm.
Admission: £2.00, £3.00 after 6pm, including programme; souvenir glass £2.00. Sunday admission free. Reduction for CAMRA Members.
Details: Over 55 real ales, plus Cider & Perry. FA Cup Final will be screened! Camping/caravanning available onsite. Food available all sessions. Please note, festival will open on Sunday 18th May, if there is enough beer and cider left to drink!

Monday 19th to Friday 24th May - 35th Cambridge Beer Festival at Jesus Green, Cambridge.
Opening times: Monday 5pm-10.30pm, Tuesday to Friday 11am-3pm and 5pm-10.30pm, Saturday 11am-10.30pm
Admission: Non-members £3.50 after 5pm. Saturday all day £2.00. CAMRA members free all sessions.
Details: Over 170 ales, 150 Ciders and perrys, wine and meads. Free soft drinks for designated drivers. Also our famous CAMRA Cheese Counter with cheeses from Great Britain.

Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th May - Stourbridge Beer Festival at Town Hall, Market Street, Stourbridge DY8 1YE
Opening times: Thursday 7-11pm; Friday & Saturday 12-11pm.
Admission: tbc
Details: Around 80 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries. Hot and cold food and souvenir glass available.

Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th May - Lincoln Beer Festival at The Drill Hall, Free School Lane, Lincoln LN2 1EY
Opening times: Thurday: noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Friday: noon-4pm, 6-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: CAMRA Members free admission. Souvenir glass £2 (refundable).
Details: 70 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries.

Friday 23rd to Saturday 24th May - 2nd Skipton Beer Festival at Town Hall, High Street, Skipton
Opening times: Friday: noon-10pm; Saturday 10am-10pm.
Admission: Free entry to CAMRA Members all times, £2 for Non-Members. No tickets-non Members pay on door.
Details: Over 60 Real Ales, Cider, Perry and European Bottled Beers. Commemorative glasses (£2) and T-shirts. Mild Trail, hot/cold food, CAMRA Products, Tombola.

Friday 23rdh to Sunday 25th May - 13th Newark Beer Festival at Riverside Park, Newark
Opening times: Friday/Saturday - 10.30am-10.30pm; Sunday - noon-6pm .
Admission: Admission free to card-carrying CAMRA Members. Non-Members £4.50 on door.
Details: Approx 140 Real Ales, Cider and Perry and Country Wines. Standard glass hire 50p (refundable). Souvenir tankards £1.50 (non-refundable). Entertainment every day except Friday afternoon.

Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st May - 23rd Colchester Real Ale & Cider Festival at Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester.
Opening times: Tuesday 6pm-11pm; Wednesday-Saturday 12-11pm.
Admission: £1.00 until 6.30pm, £2.50 thereafter. Free entry to card-carrying CAMRA Members all times. Accompanied children welcome until 7pm.
Details: Over 100 Real Ales incl seasonal specials, 15 Ciders and Perries, local Wines and Belgian Beer bar. Free soft drinks for drivers. Food available all sessions, including Hog Roast. Music Tuesday/Saturday evenings only.

Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st May - 3rd Delapre Abbey Beer Festival at Delapre Abbey, London Road, Northampton
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday noon-11pm; Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: £2.00 admission after 7pm Friday/Saturday. Pay on entry - no advance tickets. Free to card-carrying CAMRA Members.
Details: Over 150 Beers, Ciders & Perry and locally produced Wine. Quality food available all sessions. Open air event with beer marquee. Live bands Friday 9pm, Saturday afternoon from 1pm + Saturday evening. Families welcome. Plenty of seating. £2.00 refundable commemorative glass and programme.

Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st May - 22nd Stockport Beer & Cider Festival at Edgeley Park Football Ground, Hardcastle Road, Stockport
Opening times: Thursday: 5.30pm-11pm; Friday: 11.30am-3.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Saturday: 11.30am-4.30pm, 6.30pm-11pm.
Admission: Friday lunch free; Thursday/Saturday lunch/Saturday evening £2.00; Friday evening £4.00. CAMRA members free at all times.
Details: Over 70 different Beers, Ciders and Perries available each session. Seating & outside drinking available for all. Live entertainment in separate suite (except Friday lunch quiet session). Hot & cold food in dining suite all sessions. Special festival ale, stalls, souvenir t-shirts, refundable souvenir glasses, free programme and great atmosphere.

June 2008

tbc June - The History of Cider (Illustrated Talk) at The Cider Museum, 21 Ryelands Street, Hereford HR4 0LW (01432 354207)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: tbc

Sunday 1st June - Classical Concert at Ross Cider, Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: tbc
Admission: £7.50 all tickets; camping is £5.00 per night per adult. To book – email your reservation together with a contact telephone number.
Details: A classical concert in the barn with Anna (accompanist), Clem (soprano) and Nick (baritone). This was an outstanding success in 2007! All who attended the Gathering May Concert last year will be delighted that Clem and friends are coming back for another concert this year. Concert Music and food arrangements to be announced soon; programme and arrangements to follow.

Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th June - 22nd Great Grampian Aberdeen & North East Beer Festival at Richard Donald Stand, Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen AB24 5QH
Opening times: Thursday 4pm-midnight, Friday 3pm-midnight, Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: Admission still £3.00 for card carrying CAMRA members and £5.00 for non members.
Details: Festival will feature 90 cask beers plus a selection of cider, perry and bottled beers. Quiet sessions are guaranteed. Aberdeen FC's catering contractor will hopefully be doing the food this time.

Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th June - 12th Southampton Beer Festival at Southampton Guildhall, West Marlands Road, Southampton
Opening times: Thursday preview 6.30pm-11pm; Friday 11.30am-4pm, 6.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-4pm, 6.30-11pm.
Admission: Thursday preview £3.00; Friday £7.00 evening, free afternoon; Saturday £6.00 evening / £5.00 afternoon. Souvenir glass included in admission (except Friday lunch: £2.00 deposit for glass). £2.00 beer tokens to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: Over 80 real ales, foreign beers, Cider and Perry plus food stall. Entertainment - Jon Walsh Blues Band (Friday evening), TBC (Saturday lunch), Bog Rolling Stone (Saturday evening). Ticket enquiries: Festival tickets, 11 Newlands Ave, Southampton SO15 5EP. Tel 023 8077 8906. Email tickets@shantscamra.org.uk. Advance ticket strongly advised to guarantee entry. Cheques payable to: Hampshire Beer Festivals (Southampton).

Friday 6th to Sunday 8th June - Live Music Weekend at Ross Cider, Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: tbc
Admission: Advance tickets - £5 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £5 per night per adult. On the Door - £6 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £6 per night per adult. To book – email your reservation together with a contact telephone number.
Details: Friday evening: Toby Lovell's Blues Band and Kent Duchaine; Saturday: Chicken Shed Zeppelin and support band; Sunday - Farmer Market with live music (11am-2pm)

Friday 6th to Saturday 7th June - 14th Rare Breeds Beer Festival at Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch, Kent
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday 11am-10.30pm (or until the beer runs out!)
Admission: Friday £1.00, Saturday £2.00. All sessions free to CAMRA members.
Details: Real Ales, Real Ciders + Real Perry. Food available Friday evening, all day Saturday into evening. Live music Saturday afternoon and into early evening. Families welcome. Camping available (£5 per pitch per night - no camp fires). To book pitch, phone Rare Breeds Centre 01233 861493.

Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th June - Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival at Cardiff International Arena, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ
Opening times: 11am-11pm all days.
Admission: £5.00 including souvenir glass and programme. Under-26s/CAMRA membs get free beer tokens allowance.
Details: Over 170 Real Ales, more than 50 ciders and a good selection of foreign/bottled beers. Food available all sessions, subject to availability. Quiet day Thursday; live music Friday both sessions and Saturday afternoon.

Friday 27th to Saturday 28th June - 9th Kingston Beer Festival, Surrey County Staff Club, Penrhyn Road, Kingston Upon Thames
Opening times: Friday 11am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-9pm
Admission: Friday £3.00 evening / free afternoon; Saturday £1.50. Card-carrying CAMRA members £1.50 Friday evening, free other times.
Details: Over 45 cooled Real Ales plus Ciders and Perries avail. Food available at all sessions, including hot food Friday evening and Saturday.

Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th June - Glastonbury Festival 2008, Worthy Farm, Worthy Lane, Pilton, Glastonbury BA4 4BY.
Details: If you are going to stay on Old Eavis' Farm this year, don't forget to check out the legendary Cider Bus run by Burrow Hill Cider... (and if it is cold and wet definitely check out the mulled cider at the legendary Cider Bus run by Burrow Hill Cider; it's a life saver!)

July 2008

Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th July - The 19th Ealing Beer Festival at Walpole Park, Ealing, London W5 2BY
Opening times: noon-11pm.
Admission: £3.00 all sessions; £2.00 for card-carrying CAMRA members, OAPs and students with union cards. CAMRA card-carrying members free before 4pm.
Details: Over 150 Real ales, Real Cider and Perry, RAIBs (Bottle conditioned beers), Imported draught and bottled beers. Hot and cold food all sessions. Vegetarians catered for. Families welcome subject to usual requirements.

Thursday 3rd July - The History of Cider (Illustrated Talk) at The Cider Museum, 21 Ryelands Street, Hereford HR4 0LW (01432 354207)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: See website for more details.

Thursday 3rd July to Saturday 5th July - Stafford Real Ale Festival at Gatehouse Theatre, Eastgate Street, Stafford ST16 2LT (01785 254653)
Opening times: Thursday 6-11pm; Friday and Saturday: noon-4.30pm + 6-11pm.
Admission: £5.00 (Thursday evening/Friday daytime); £6.00 (Friday evening/Saturday sessions). Card-carrying CAMRA members £1 concession. Ticket include souvenir glass (while stocks last / £2 refundable) plus £1 drinks token.
Details: Approx 80 Real Ales and Ciders. Low carbon footprint, LocAle theme, all beers brewed within 30 miles of venue (35 breweries including 30 micros).

Friday 4th to Sunday 6th July - Wales International Craft Cider Festival at Abergavenny Castle, Abergavenny
Opening times: 10am to 5pm
Admission: tbc
Details: Ciders will be on sale from several European countries, together with regional food and live music. Details from Alan Golding (01685 873866) or from the welshcider.co.uk website.

Friday 4th to Sunday 6th July - Live Music Weekend at Ross Cider, Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: tbc
Admission: Advance tickets - £5 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £5 per night per adult. On the Door - £6 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £6 per night per adult. To book – email your reservation together with a contact telephone number.
Details: Friday evening: Jessie Morgan and HellBellies; Saturday: Flick of the Wrist and support band; Sunday - Farmer Market with live music (11am-2pm)

Friday 4th to Sunday 6th July - Beer On The Wye (Hereford Beer & Cider Festival) at Riverside Meadow, Hereford Rowing Club, Hereford HR4 0BE
Times: Friday: 2.00pm to 11.00pm, Saturday: 12 noon to 11.00pm, Sunday: 12 noon to 5.00pm
Admission: see website for details
Details: Herefordshire CAMRA will be selling over 50 draft ciders and perries at this event – every last one of them from the county of Herefordshire. These will include a number of ciders never seen before at a festival. The cider bar will also feature an extensive selection of bottled ciders and perries – again all from Herefordshire. There will also be a foreign and bottled beers bar as well as 110 draft real ales, ranging from the very local to the very far.
Beer on the Wye is held in a traditional-style riverside marquee at Hereford Rowing Club. Friday night and Saturday night is live music, the afternoons are more mellow out on the riverside drinking terrace. Sunday is our family-friendly fun day with morris men, kiddies play zone and mini-farmers’ market.
A food marquee will be offering an extensive farm griddle, including hot dogs and sausage and mash (using a range of specialist sausages) as well as chips, farm burgers, baked potatoes and curries – all the meat coming from a farm less than four miles up-river from the festival site. There are also a number of interesting hot and cold vegetarian food options available.
Camping is available at this event, and includes out-of-hours toilet facilities and full use of the Hereford Rowing Club’s excellent toilet and shower facilities between 7am and 11pm. Campers can also use the hot breakfast facility from 9am on the Saturday and Sunday.
For more information about this event please go on-line at: www.herefordcamra.org.uk

Saturday 5th July - 9th Devizes Beer Festival at The Wharf, Devizes, Wiltshire
Opening times: 11.30am-11pm
Admission: Advance ticket £6.00 including souvenir glass. Members concession - £1 tokens - please bring card.
Details: Over 50 Real Ales, Cider and food available. Beerfest, under canvas, beside the Kennet And Avon Canal. Mainly out-of-doors, family orientated event. Various entertainment all day, including live music and children's entertainment. SAE + cheque made payable to ‘Devizes CAMRA' to: David Rapley, 9 Walden Lodge Close, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 5BU. Volunteers for staffing appreciated-email: celtal@celtal.force9.co.uk.

Tuesday 8th to Saturday 12th July - Chelmsford Beer Festival at Admirals Park, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford
Opening times: Noon-11pm every day.
Admission: Free admission to CAMRA members all times, non-members £3.00 after 6.30pm.
Details: Over 300 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries, Belgian Beer, local wine, hot/cold food all sessions, including Real Ale sausages, Leon's vegetarian catering, BBQ and curries. Souvenir glass. Live music all days. Family fun day Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday 9th July - Apple Source and Ciderland: An exploration of Somerset's rich heritage of orchards, apples and cider at the Frome Festival 2008, Rook Lane Chapel & Cafe, Bath Street, Frome BA11 1DN (01373 468030)
Opening times: 7pm (door open) for 7.30pm start. Event ends 10.00pm.
Admission: £6.00 all tickets. Cider and cheese tastings included in price.
Details: Food Frome present an evening of entertainment featuring Sue Clifford, and cider guru and poet James Crowden. Sue is joint author of Common Ground's Apple Source Book; James's most recent book is Ciderland.

Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th July - 6th Bromsgrove Beer Festival at Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club, Finstall Park, Finstall, Bromsgrove B60 3DH
Opening times: Thursday (CAMRA members only) 7pm-11pm; Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday: 11am-11pm.
Admission: Admission £3 (free to card carrying CAMRA members) plus £2 charge for commemorative glass.
Details: 100 real ales plus 25 different ciders and perries. Food and and a full range of other drinks available. A quiet festival with no amplified music.

Friday 11th to Sunday 13th July - 5th Annual Beer and Cider Festival at Nailsea and Backwell RFC, West End Park, Nailsea BS48 2BP (01275 810818)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: Advance tickets £6.00 entitling entry for all sessions over the three days, and includes commemorative glass, programme, tasting notes and your first beer. Tickets on the Day will cost £7.50, and include your commemorative glass, programme, tasting notes and your first beer.
Details: Three day beer and cider festival; last year they had a range of 24 ciders. Beer tickets thereafter are sold in strips of Five and will cost £4.50 (so that's just 90p per half pint !). Parking, Entry to grounds, and our roster of live music is entirely free.
Friday night: no music. Saturday afternoon: Village Fete accompanied by acrobatics, dance and a handful of local performers. Saturday evening: live bands till 10pm. Sunday afternoon: country and folk bands including The Somerset Paddies.

Friday 11th to Sunday 13th July - Woodcote Festival of Ales at Woodcote Rally, Woodcote, Oxfordshire
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-10.30pm; Sunday noon-5.30pm.
Admission: Free entry to rally site Friday. Entrance to Rally Saturday & Sunday £8.00 / £6.00 to card-carrying CAMRA members / £4.00 children/senior citizens. No extra charge to CAMRA Festival.
Details: Over 35 beers plus Cider and wines. Real Ale at country fair-great family day out! Moving/Stationary Steam Engines, vintage vehicles, art and craft fair, aerobatic displays, hot air balloons, food stalls. Live music Friday/Saturday evening.

Friday 11th & Saturday 12th July - Plymouth Beer Festival at Plymouth Pavilions, Millbay Road, Plymouth PL1 3LF
Opening times: midday-11pm each day.
Admission: £4.00, £7.00 Sat after 6pm. Glass and programme £1.50. CAMRA members will receive £4 of vouchers with membership card.
Details: Over 140 ales, Over 35 ciders + perries. Sat night entertainment from Chas & Dave.

Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th July - Ardingly Beer Festival at the 20th Ardingly Vintage & Classic Vehicle Show at South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex
Opening times: 10am-5pm both days.
Admission: Entry cost (incl entry to beer tent): £8.00 adults, £6.00 OAP/Child, £22.00 Family 2+2.
Details: Over 60 Beers, Cider and Perry in the Beer Tent. Event includes Vehicle Parades, Cars, Motorcycles, Models, Steam Engines, Steam Vintage Fair and flying displays. Food available all day.

Wednesday 16th to Sunday 20th July - 1st Greenwich Beer & Jazz Festival at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London SE10
Opening times: noon to 10.30pm.
Admission: £12.50, concessions (inc CAMRA members) £11.50; £7.00 before 5pm, concessions (inc CAMRA members) £6.00.
Details: Over 70 beers, 25 ciders, many Imported Beer & Country Wines. Live entertainment, including Snake Davis, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, Gentle Jim McIntosh and the Jazzaholics, Bootleg Blues Brothers, The Conmitments, Boogie Lightening. Quiet area and quality Food. Souvenir Glass.

Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th July - 34th Kent Beer Festival at Merton Farm, Merton Lane, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7BA
Opening times: Thursday 6.30-11pm; Friday 12-4pm & 6.30-11pm; Saturday 12-9pm.
Admission: Thursday £4.00 (on the door); Friday afternoon free; evening session £7.00 (advance tickets essential); Saturday £4.00. All sessions (except Friday evening) free entry to card-carrying CAMRA members. Tickets needed for Friday evening only. Pay on gate for other sessions.
Details: Over 130 Real Beers and Ciders, Foreign Beers. Good food, live music, souvenir glasses, CAMRA shop, family area, parking, pink girlie bar. Basic camping facilities, no booking required.

Friday 18th to Sunday 20th July - Boxmoor Beer Festival at Camelot Rugby Club, Chaulden Lane, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP1 2BS
Opening times: Friday/Saturday noon-10.30pm, Sun noon-3pm (ale permitting).
Admission: Entry including program and refundable glass - members £3.00, non-members £5.00.
Details: Over 30 beers, ciders and perries, souvenir festival glass, tombola, festival games (including the infamous Mid-Chilterns Crown Top Shives). Snacks available all sessions.

Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July - 32nd Cotswold Beer Festival at Postlip Hall, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Opening times: tbc
Admission: Admission by advance ticket (includes souvenir glass) only.
Details: Over 80 beers, cider and perry, soft drinks, food, entertainment.

Saturday 26th July - The Appleyard Fayre at The Banham Barrel, The Appleyard, Kenninghall Road, Banham, Norfolk NR16 2HB (01953 888593 / 07765 325103)
Opening times: 11am - late
Admission: £2.00; children free (tbc)
Details: Now in it's 3rd Year. A craft fayre with added music, theatre, food and ale, cider - and guaranteed Sunshine!

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th July - Children's Fun Weekend at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ (01531 660108)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: A wide range of fun activities for children at Weston's Cider Visitor Centre. Helter-Skelter, Bouncy Castle, Swing Boats, Merry-Go-Round, Dray Rides, Play Area, John Deere Pedal Tractors and lots, lots more. Come and join in the fun!

Wednesday 16th to Sunday 20th July - 1st Greenwich Beer & Jazz Festival at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London SE10
Opening times: noon to 10.30pm.
Admission: £12.50, concessions (inc CAMRA members) £11.50; £7.00 before 5pm, concessions (inc CAMRA members) £6.00.
Details: Over 70 beers, 25 ciders, many Imported Beer & Country Wines. Live entertainment, including Snake Davis, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, Gentle Jim McIntosh and the Jazzaholics, Bootleg Blues Brothers, The Conmitments, Boogie Lightening. Quiet area and quality Food. Souvenir Glass.

August 2008

Sunday 1st August - Cider Festival at Bath Racecourse, Lansdown, Bath BA1 9BU (01225 424609)
Opening times: First race: 6.05pm; last race: 8.45pm. The Wurzels playing after the last race.
Admission: Tickets £16.00 - £29.00.
Details: A host of local ciders available to buy with The Wurzels playing after the last race. Last year this event sold out, so book early to avoid disappointment. This event is sponsored by Gaymer Cider Company - the makers of Blackthorn (so not all the ciders are that traditional!)

Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd August - Live Music Weekend at Ross Cider, Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: tbc
Admission: Advance tickets - £5 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £5 per night per adult. On the Door - £6 each for the Friday and Saturday concerts; camping is £6 per night per adult. To book – email your reservation together with a contact telephone number.
Details: Friday evening: bands to be confirmed; Saturday: Kentucky Fried and support band; Sunday - Farmer Market with live music (11am-2pm)

Tuesday 5th to Saturday 9th August - Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court, London
Opening times: Tueday 5pm-10.30pm; Wednesday-Friday noon-10.30pm; Saturday 11am-7pm
Admission: see ticketing website for prices.
Details: Over 750 types of beer for sale, along with the Bieres San Frontieres bar. There is also a real cider and perry bar serving these wonderful fresh and increasingly popular drinks. With live music, auctions, good grub coupled with a festival atmosphere - come along and visit Britain's biggest beer festival under one roof!

Friday 8th & Saturday 9th August - 1st Bristol Cider Festival at the Brunel Passenger Shed, British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, Station Approach, Temple Meads, Bristol BS1 6QH
Opening times: 11.30am-4pm and 7.30pm-11.30pm
Admission: Tickets £6.00 in advance; more on the door. Any unsold tickets will be made available on the door - but buying your tickets in advance is highly recommended as over 500 people were turned away at the doors at the 2008 Bath Cider Festival, which sold out on both days. Tickets on sale from the Pavilion Box Office now.
Details: The 1st Bristol Cider Festival is a new event for the cider drinkers of Bristol. Building on the massive success of the three Bath Cider Festivals, CiderFestival.co.uk have booked the awesome Brunel Passenger Shed at the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, Temple Meads, Bristol BS1 6QH for what promises to be an epic two-day cider festival. On offer will be over 80 ciders and perries including award-winning ciders from Rich's and Heck's (Somerset), Gwatkin (Herefordshire), Gwynt Y Ddraig (Wales), Mr Whiteheads (Hampshire) and the Cornish Cyder Company (Cornwall).
As well as the cider and perry, the Bristol Cider Festival will offer the best in local entertainment. Friday's entertainment will be provided by a Meatloaf tribute band playing at both sessions. Somerset's premier Wurzels tribute band The Mangledwurzels will be playing a full show at both of the Saturday sessions, providing their own brand of Wurzels-flavoured, cider-fuelled Scrumpy & Western madness to help you drink up thy cider. The Mangledwurzels have played at all six CiderFestivals.co.uk festivals across the country from Norwich to Swansea - and are guaranteed to entertain.

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th August - Open Day at Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider, Llest Farm, Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff
CF38 2PW
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Following the success of last years events, Gwynt Y Ddraig have decided to open the farm up for two weekends this year. More details to follow...contact Gwynt Y Ddraig for further information.

Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th August - 9 3/4 Worcester Beer & Cider Festival, Worcester Racecourse, Worcester
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: Thursday: £5.00; Friday £4.00 b4 5.30pm, £6 after, Saturday £5.00 b4l 5.30pm, £4 after. Tickets available in advance or on the door; advance tickets advised for Friday evening. CAMRA members receive £2.00 of beer vouchers.
Details: Over 200 Real Ales, 100 Ciders and Perries. Fruit/grape wines available. Selection of food and soft drinks available. Admission including souvenir glass and programme. Entertainment provided Thursday and Friday evenings and all Saturday.

Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th August - 2nd South Shields Beer Festival, South Shields Masonic Hall, Wesley Street, South Shields, Tyne & Wear
Opening times: Thursday 4-10pm; Friday to Saturday noon-10pm. Free entry to CAMRA members.
Admission: Free entry to CAMRA members.
Details: 26 real ales plus small selection of cider.

Thursday 14th to Saturday 17th August - Grantham Summer Beer Festival, Lord Harrowby, 65 Dudley Road, Grantham NG31 9AB
Opening times: Thursday 4pm-7pm (Trade, CAMRA members and Sponsors only) and 7pm-11pm (general public quiet session); Friday 4pm-11pm (Jazz 8pm); Saturday 11-11pm (family entertainment during daytime; folk music 4pm; band 8pm); Sunday 12-4pm (final fling with beers left).
Admission: No charge for CAMRA members with valid membership card.
Details: Over 25 Real Ales and Ciders. Food available all sessions: hot and cold including veggie options.

Friday 15th to Sunday 17th August - Buckland Beer Festival, Buckland Showground, Buckland Dinham, Nr. Frome, Somerset, BA11 2QT (01373 462956)
Opening times: Friday 6pm-midnight; Saturday: noon-midnight; Sunday: noon-8pm
Admission: Friday £10.00 in advance only; Saturday: £15.00 in advance only; Sunday: Free all day. Weekend tickets £20.00 including free parking and camping.
Details: Over 50 beers, largers, ciders and wines. Entertainment: Friday: Rock and Blues evening; Saturday: The Wurzels plus support; Sunday: Family Pirate Day.

Tuesday 19th to Saturday 23th August - 31st Peterborough Beer Festival, Embankment, Bishops Road, Peterborough PE1 1EF
Opening times: Tuesday 3.30-5.30pm (Trade, CAMRA members and Sponsors only) and 5.30pm-11pm; Wednesday noon-2.30pm and 5.30pm-11pm; Thursday noon-11pm; Friday noon-2.30pm and 5.30pm-11.30pm; Saturday noon-11pm
Admission: Tuesday £4.00 ; Trade Session free; Wednesday afternoon free; evening £4.00, Thursday £5.00 (£4 refund if you leave by 7pm); Friday afternoon free; evening £5.00; Saturday £6.00 (£5 refund if you leave by 7pm). CAMRA/EBCU members pay £1 Friday evening, Thursday and Saturday and get free entry to other sessions.
Details: Over 350 draught Real Ales, Over 100 Ciders and Perries, European bottled beers, wide selection of food, pub games, tombola, pub quiz, funfair, CAMRA shop and other stalls. Live music eveningry evening-separate marquee.

Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23th August - 13th Clacton-on-Sea Beer Festival, St James' Hall, Tower Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO15 1LF
Opening times: Wednesday 6pm-11pm; Thursday-Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: £1 entry all sessions; Free entry to card-carrying CAMRA members all sessions.
Details: Over 55 Real Ales plus Ciders and Perries, Wines and Foreign Beers. Free soft drinks for designated drivers. Hot and Cold food on Thursday to Saturday . Souvenir glass. Ideally situated to combine with visit to Clacton Air Show. Live music: The Onion Band Thursday evening and jazz on Saturday afternoon.

Thursday 21st to Saturday 23th August - Mumbles & Swansea Bay Beer Festival, Brangwyn Hall, Guildhall, Swansea SA1 4PE
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday & Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: £5.00 non-members, £4.00 CAMRA members. Payable on door.
Details: Over 100 Real Ales on offer, plus a huge selection of Real Ciders and Perries. Good food, live entertainment, quiet area and CAMRA stalls.

Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th August - Black Mountains Festival, Talgarth, Powys.
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Display of early apples and identification of ripe early varieties. Tastings and fruit for sale.

Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th August - 28th Durham Beer Festival, Students Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham DH1 3AN
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday 11am-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: Entry free to card-carrying CAMRA members all times, £1.50 until 7pm, £2 thereafter, free entry after 7pm Saturday.
Details: Over 80 Real Ales and Cider and Perry. Souvenir Glasses, hot/cold food available, Tombola and dry stall. Entertainment Saturday evening. Disabled toilet/access available.

Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August - 6th Ross Cider Festival at Ross Cider, Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG (01989 567232)
Times: Friday 7pm-11pm; Saturday: noon–11pm; Sunday: 11am–4pm
Admission: tbc. This year may have to be ticket-only to manage the crowd numbers. Sunday - free entry.
Details: The festival format will be the same as previous years with a Ceilidh on the Friday evening with live band Porridge; meet 'The Cider Makers' on Saturday with live music from Kentucky Fried, Dan James, Fire Tree Band, Chicken Shed Zeppelin and Pigfoot. Sunday has the usual Farmers and Craft Market with more live music.
There is a limited number of campsite pitches for those wishing to stay over during the festival. No cars on the campsite. There will also be a small separate campsite for camper vans and those who need to park by their car. To ensure that you get a pitch, book your camping when you book your festival tickets. Ticket prices and booking arrangements to appear soon; however, if you want to make sure of tickets, drop us an email with your name and telephone contact number. Check the Ross Cider website for updated details and ticket prices; email ross_cider@talktalk.net to be added to their mailing list.

Friday 29th to Saturday 30th August - Harbury Beer Festival, Village Hall, Harbury, near Leamington Spa CV33 9JE
Opening times: Friday 5.30pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-4pm, 6pm-11pm.
Admission: £2.00; Saturday afternoon session £1.00. CAMRA members free.
Details: Celebrating ales of many colours with over 55 real ales and over 6 ciders and perries. Entertainment Saturday evening from The Lost Boys. Food available all sessions. Free soft drinks for drivers.

September 2008

Thursday 4th to Saturday 6th September - 'Raiders of the Lost Cask' 20th Jersey Beer & Cider Festival, Peoples Park, St. Helier, Jersey
Opening times: 12pm-11pm each day.
Admission: £3.00 before 5pm, £4.00 after. Weekend passes available. Free to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: Over 150 Real Ales, Ciders and Continental Beers. Hot/cold food available. Live music Thursday to Saturday night. Souvenir glasses and other CAMRA merchandise on sale.

Thursday 4th to Saturday 6th September - Ulverston Charter Beer Festival, Coronation Hall, Ulverston, Cumbria
Opening times: Thursday 7-11pm (quiet sess); Friday & Saturday Noon-11pm.
Admission: £2.00; £1.00 Thursday; Entry free all times to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: Over 65 Real Ales, 10 Real Ciders and Perries. Live music Friday & Saturday evening. Souvenir glass - last in current series (£2 refundable). Full access and facilities for all. Free souvenir programme. Hot/cold beer blotters. T-shirts and merchandise. Accompanied children until 7pm only.

Thursday 4th to Saturday 6th September - 15th Tamworth Beer Festival, Assembly Rooms, Coroporation Street, Tamworth B79 7DN
Opening times: 11am-11pm.
Admission: £3.00 all sessions, except Friday 5-11pm (£4.00). CAMRA members free entry all times.
Details: Over 100 real ales from micro breweries, including festival specials/one-offs. Cask cooling system-to ensure all cask beer in good condition right up to end. Ciders and perries, UK/foreign bottled beers. Supervised children permitted until 5pm.
Thursday evening/daytimes quiet sessions; live entertainment Friday evening (Treebeard 8pm) and Saturday evening (TBA 8pm). Hot/cold food available all sessions. Soft drinks available for drivers. Souvenir tankard glass and t-shirts available.

Friday 5th to Sunday 7th September - 6th Glossop Beer & Cider Festival, Star Inn, Howard Street, Glossop, Derbyshire
Opening times: Friday & Saturday noon-11pm, Sunday noon-5pm.
Admission: Free all sessions
Details: Part of Glossop's Annual Victorian Weekend. 37 Real Ales and 15 ciders, including local brewery specials. Local musicians in tent Friday evening.

Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th September - National Vine Collection Open Weekend at Sunnybank Vine Nursery, Journey's End, Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire, HR2 0EE (01981 240256)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Wine will be available for tasting and for sale. Refreshments will be available on site. In addition there will have a young orchard in crop with plums, pears and cherries, plus about a hundred sorts of apple, including a serious Herefordshire collection. There will be a flourishing kitchen garden with heritage tomatoes and unusual potatoes for sale. There should also be a limited number of interesting stalls. Details from Brian Edwards or see their website vinenursery.netfirms.com.

Saturday 9th September - Belbroughton Beer Festival, Belbroughton Primary School, Belbroughton
Opening times: Noon-11pm.
Admission: tbc
Details: Over 25 Real Ales and Ciders. Live music. Souvenir glass and T-shirts.

Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th September - 9th Sandgrounder Beer Festival, The Arts Centre, Lord Street, Southport, Merseyside
Opening times: Thursday 6-11pm; Friday & Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: £2.50 all sessions. Card-carrying CAMRA members free all times.
Details: 70 Real Beers, featuring LocAle themed breweries. Real Ciders, Perries and Fruit Wines. Pub/Licensee Awards on Thursday at 7pm. Food available all sessions.

Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th September - Booze On The Ouse, Burgess Hall, St Ivo Recreation Centre, Westwood Road, St Ives PE27 6WU
Opening times: Thursday 6pm-10.45pm; Friday 5pm-10.45pm; Saturday noon-10.45pm.
Admission (including programme): £2.00 Thursday & Friday after 7pm, £1.00 Saturday. Happy hour: Thursday 6-7pm, Friday 5-7pm: admission £1 and cut-price cask beers. CAMRA members free admission all sessions.
Details: Over 55 cask beers plus real cider and foreign beers. Souvenir glass, tombola and CAMRA shop. Food all sessions. Free soft drinks for drivers.

Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th September - Birmingham Beer Festival, Aston Students Guild, Aston University Campus, Gosta Green, Aston, Birmingham
Opening times: noon-11pm, (last admission 10.30pm)
Admission: £3.50; £4.50 Thursday & Friday evenings; £3.00 Saturday evening. CAMRA members £3 all sessions, £2 Saturday evening. Entry includes admission, programme and glass (£2 refundable)
Details: Over 90 new beers and old favourites from all over UK, plus traditional cider and perry, Interesting selection of imported bottled beers, Festival Food. Live entertainment from 8pm on Thursday and Friday evenings. Tombola and CAMRA products.

Friday 12th to Saturday 13th September - Chester Autumn Beer Festival, The Guildhall, Watergate Street, Chester CH1 2LA
Opening times: 7-11pm Friday; 12- 4 and 7-11pm Saturday.
Admission: £5.00 Friday & Saturday evening; £4 Saturday lunch. Concession for CAMRA members (bring membership card).
Details: Over 45 Real Ales, Ciders and Perries. Live entertainment, pub games, tombola, soft drinks, hot and cold food all sessions, commemorative glass and programme. Disabled access available.

Friday 12th to Saturday 13th September - Hinckley Beer Festival, Masonic Hall, St Mary's Road, Hinckley LE10 1EQ
Opening times: Friday 11am-3pm, 5pm -11pm; Saturday 12-11pm.
Admission: £2.00 per person, per session. Card-carrying CAMRA members FREE all sessions.
Details: Over 40 Real Ales with Ciders, Perries and Fruit Wines. Souvenir Glasses: £2 (refundable) with free programme. Food available all sessions.

Friday 12th to Saturday 13th September - 2nd Lytham Beer Festival, Lowther Pavilion, West Beach, Lytham St Annes FY8 5QQ
Opening times: 12pm-11pm both days.
Admission: £2.00 all times. Free Entry for CAMRA members.
Details: 90 Beers and Cider, Perry and Foreign Bottle Bar. 50% more Beer than last year! Glass hire and Souvenir glasses. Family room; light refreshments. No live entertainment.

Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th September - 9th Somerset Beer Festival, The Platform, Minehead Station, Minehead
Opening times: 11am-11pm Saturday; noon-4pm Sunday.
Admission: Free admission. Purchase of commemorative glass/hard plastic glass required.
Details: 100 Beers (approx) and Ciders from local/countrywide microbreweries available, including festival specials. Food available all sessions. Entertainment Saturday evening Bag of Rats (high energy quartet with unique take on folk, jazz Irish and country) and Sunday Lunch Jazz.

Sunday 14th September - Entertainment Under The Apples at Penlanole, near The Vulcan Arms, south of Rhayader, Powys
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Please note that for safety reasons, the approach will be to the back of the farm and will be signposted from the A470. For details tel. 01597 811487.

Sunday 14th September - Apple Weekend at Berrington Hall, near Leominster, Herefordshire
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Details from Head Gardener, Nick Winney; tel. 01568 610593.

Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th October - York Beer Festival, Tap & Spile, Monkgate, York
Opening times: Thursday 6pm to 11pm; Friday 4pm to 11pm; Saturday 12pm to 11pm; Sunday 12pm to 5pm.
Admission: Free entry
Details: 80 beers and 10 ciders and perries, plus more available in the pub itself.

Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th September - Letchworth Garden City Beer & Cider Festival, Plinston Hall, Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Opening times: Thursday 5-11pm; Friday noon-11pm; Saturday noon-11pm.
Admission: £1.00 before 4pm Friday , £2 any other time. Entry free to card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: 50 Ales including local brews. Good range of Cider, Perry and Foreign Beer including Foreign Draught Beer. Disabled Access and toilet facilities available. Souvenir Glasses, Hot & Cold Food, Tombola and CAMRA Products available.

Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th September - Burton Beer Festival, Burton-on-Trent Town Hall, King Edward Place, Burton-on-Trent (07974 708132)
Opening times: Thursday 7pm-11pm; Friday noon-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-11pm.
Admission: Free entry Thursday session. Friday & Saturday b4 6pm, £5 after. CAMRA members free all sessions. Purchase of £2 commemorative glass required.
Details: Over 100 Real ales available, continental Bottled beers and Real Cider and Perry. Quiet Night Thursday, live music Frida & Saturday evening. Martin Atturbury on Wurlitzer Friday & Saturday Lunch.

Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th September - Newton Abbot (South Devon) Beer Festival, Newton Abbot Racecourse, Kingsteington Road, Newton Abbot, Devon
Opening times: Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: £3.00 / Card-carrying CAMRA members £2.00 including free programme and festival glass.
Details: 120 real ales including some rare local brews and 30 ciders and perries. Soft drinks available for drivers. Food available all sessions. Live bands Friday & Saturday night. Plenty of outside drinking available overlooking racecourse from main stand. Camping possible; see website for details.

Wednesday 24th to Saturday 27th September - St Albans Beer Festival, Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans
Opening times: Wednesday: 5pm-10.30pm; Thursday to Saturday 11am-10.30pm.
Admission: check website for prices. CAMRA members free all times.
Details: More beer, more cider across six bars. Over 300 Real Ales, plus Cider, Perry, Bottle Conditioned Beers and large range of Foreign Beers (all over the world). Daily breweriana auctions, prize quiz (Saturday ) with superb prizes. Live musical entertainment - this years special guests is one of Britain's top rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood on Saturday evening.

Wednesday 24th to Saturday 27th September - 26th Ipswich Beer Festival, Corn Exchange, King Street, Ipswich (01473 433100)
Opening times: Wednesday 5-11pm; Thursday & Friday 11-6pm, 6-11pm; Saturday 11-6pm, 6-11pm.
Admission: Wednesday £2.00; concessions [OAPs & card-carrying students] £1.00; Thursday & Friday afternoon session £1.00; concessions: free, evening session £2.00; concessions £1.00; Saturday afternoon session £1.00; concessions: free, evening session £5.00; no concessions. CAMRA members free all times except Saturday evening £3.00.
Details: Over 200 Real Ales, including German beers, Ciders and Perries. Two bars including family area. Music: The Judith Charmers (Wednesday evening); Alpengold Blaskapelle (Friday evening); Abba Dream (Saturday evening).

Thursday 25th to Saturday 27th September - Keighley Beer, Cider & Perry Festival, Victoria Hall, Bradford Road, Keighley
Opening times: Thursday noon-11pm; Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm.
Admission: Thursday free before 6pm, £2.00 after; Friday free before 6pm, £3.00 after; Saturday £2.00 all day. Free entry to CAMRA members all times.
Details: Over 80 Real Ales, Cider and Perry, German/Belgian Bottled Beers. Commemorative glass (£2.00) and t-shirts. Hot/cold food, CAMRA products, tombola, family room. Entertainment Bradford Metropolitan Concert Band (Friday evening); Hall Royd Brass Band (Saturday lunch); Saturday evening TBA.

Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September - 7th Nantwich Beer Festival, Nantwich Civic Hall, Market Street, Nantwich
Opening times: Friday 5pm-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm; Sunday noon-5pm.
Admission: Friday £3.00; Saturday free before 5pm, £3 after; Sunday free. Tickets available on door. CAMRA members get concession on paying sessions.
Details: Over 60 beers (Cheshire and surrounding area). This year featuring guest region: Devon and Cornwall. Cider and Perry also available. Live bands both evenings: Friday Treebeard, Saturday Left-hand Drive. Food available throughout.

Friday 26th to Sunday 28th September - 1st North Cotswold Beer Festival, Moreton-in-Marsh Cricket Club, Batsford Road, Moreton-in-Marsh
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm; Saturday noon-11pm until 6pm, after; Sunday noon-3pm.
Admission: Friday £3.00; Saturday £2.00 until 6pm, £3.00 after; Sunday free. Card-carrying CAMRA members free all sessions.
Details: 40 Real Ales and Ciders. Food/soft drinks available and souvenir glass.

Friday 26th to Saturday 27th September - 2nd Ascot Racecourse Beer Festival & Raceday, Ascot Racecourse, Ascot
Opening times: Friday 11am - 4.15pm; Saturday 11am-5.45pm.
Admission: Friday from £10.00 (£5.00 CAMRA members); Saturday from £15.00 (£7.50 CAMRA members). Accompanied children 16 under go free. Advance tickets call 0870 727 1234 or visit Ascot Racecourse website quoting CAMRA08, transaction fee £1.50.
Details: Horse racing and over 130 real ales, ciders and perries. Live music, hot and cold food available all day.

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th September - Autumn Show at Three Counties Showground, Malvern
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: tbc

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th September - Apple Weekend at Berrington Hall, near Leominster (01568 610593)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Details from Head Gardener, Nick Winney.

Saturday 27th September to Sunday 5th October - A Flight Of Ciders (part of the South Somerset Food Festival) at The Queen Arms, Corton Denham, DT9 4LR (01963 220 317)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: £10.00 per person
Details: A tasting tray of 7 farmhouse ciders and a hunk of Montgomery cheddar.

Saturday 27th September to Sunday 5th October - Somerset Cider and Food Matching Week (part of the South Somerset Food Festival) at The Red Lion Inn, Main Street, Babcary, Somerset TA11 7ED (01458 223230)
Opening times: Daily Lunch 12noon – 12.30pm, Dinner 7 – 9.30pm
Details: An interesting and educational week exploring the rich heritage of cider-making and matching some wonderful local examples with traditional Somerset recipes. Local producers will be holding talks throughout the week.

Sunday 28th September - The Mandeville Apple Fayre and Seafood Festival (part of the South Somerset Food Festival) at The Mandeville Arms, High Street, Hardington Mandeville, BA22 9PQ (01935 862418)
Opening times: 11.00am - 5.00pm
Details: Devoted to local foods, on offer is range of glorious seafood with cookery demonstrations and will showcase all things applely: food, ciders and apple juices etc. For more info email helen.johnson15@btinternet.com

October 2008

Saturday 27th September to Sunday 5th October - A Flight Of Ciders (part of the South Somerset Food Festival) at The Queen Arms, Corton Denham, Dorset DT9 4LR (01963 220 317)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: £10.00 per person
Details: A tasting tray of 7 farmhouse ciders and a hunk of Montgomery cheddar.

Thursday 2nd October - Trumpet Ploughing Match & West of England Fruit Show at Burley Gate, Herefordshire
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Details from Mrs J Eversham; tel 01531 890447.

Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th October - Oktoberfest Somerset Festival of Beers and Ciders (part of the South Somerset Food Festival) at The Brewers Arms, 18 St James Street, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5BW (01460 241887)
Opening times: 11am
Admission: Free
Details: The Brewers have a range of events over the weekend of the 3rd-5th October opening at 11am every day. Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels provide the entertainment on the Sunday evening at 9pm with fancy dress (optional!). Throughout the week, there'll be South Somerset food specials.

Friday 3rd to Saturday 4th October - Solihull Beer Festival, Solihull Royal British Legion, Union Road, Solihull
Opening times: Friday 5.30-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-3.30pm and 5.30-11pm.
Admission: Friday £2.00/£1.00; Saturday afternoon £1.00/free, evening £2.00/£1.00. CAMRA members should bring membership card for conncessionary rate.
Details: Over 35 Beers and Ciders. £2 refundable for commemorative glass, refundable token system for bar. Hot and cold food available throughout. Morris dancing Saturday 11.30am, live music Saturday evening.

Saturday 4th October - Farm Experience for the Fenrir Motorcycle Brotherhood at Wilkins Cider, Landsend Farm, Mudgley, Wedmore BS28 4TU (01934 712385)
Opening times: noon
Admission: Free
Details: Although this is an organised event for the FMB, Wilkins Cider will open to the public as usual, so everyone is welcome to come along watch local Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels in action and sample some of Roger's awesome ciders.

Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th October - 15th Croydon & Sutton Real Ale & Cider Festival, Wallington Hall, Stafford Road, Wallington SM6 9AQ
Opening times: Thursday noon-10.30pm; Friday noon-10.30pm; Saturday 11am-6pm.
Admission: Thursday : £2.00; £1.00 CAMRA members; Free b4 4pm; Friday : £3.00; £2.00 CAMRA members; Free b4 4pm; Saturday : Admission Free.
Details: Over 60 Real Ales and 10 Ciders and Perrys available.

Saturday 11th October - Apple Day at The Greenwood Centre, Coalbrookdale.
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Apple display and tasting. Contact Michael Pooley; tel. 01952 433632.

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th October - The Big Apple in Herefordshire at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Unique community events amongst the orchards. Watch the cidermaking, see cider fruit displays, walk in orchards, eat cider cake, drink cider and much more. Try making cider for yourself at our enthusiasts' day.

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th October - Cider Making Festival 2008 at Ralph's Cider & Perry, Old Badland, New Radnor, Presteigne, Powys LD8 2TG (01544 350304)
Opening times: 11am - 4pm
Admission: tbc
Details: A great family or group day out in the beautiful Radnor Valley. Ralph's Cider will be demonstrating the art of traditional cider and perry making. Scratters, apple mills and screw presses from Ralph's Victorian collection will be used for the demonstrations. They will also be demonstrating some of their more mechanical presses such as our French travelling press. There will be a display of vintage David Brown Tractors, vintage equipment and tools. Several rural craft workers will be present, including a hurdle maker, willow weaver, corn dolly maker, a potter, chair-caner and candle maker, wood turner and harness maker. Our ever popular bar area will be serving on-licence and off-licence cider and perry sales and there will be a hog roast, hot and cold refreshments teas, coffees and cake etc, and local food & craft producers on both days. Coach parties are most welcome, please phone to book your visit before Wednesday October 8th, to help with catering numbers.

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th October - Cider and Apple Juice Weekend at Ragman's Lane Farm, Lower Lydbrook, Gloucestershire GL17 9PA
Admission: The weekend course costs £180 and includes accommodation in the bunkhouse on the farm and all meals. See website for booking details.
Details: A weekend break with a difference. Pick apples and pears from an organic orchard and press them yourself on a traditional farmhouse cider press. You will also use a small scale commercial press and pasteurisation unit to make your own apple juice which will keep for up to a year.

Friday 17th to Sunday 19th October - 1st Thanet CAMRA Festival at The Churchill Tavern, 9-22 The Paragon, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 9JX
Opening times: Friday: 5-11pm, Saturday: noon–11pm
Admission: £1.00; free to card carrying CAMRA members.
Details: The only CAMRA approved festival devoted to cider and perry being held in CAMRA's October cider month with nearly 60 ciders and perries from around the UK; the biggest selection of ciders and perries ever seen at a Kent festival. Cider-related food will be available and entertainment will be on offer on Saturday evening.

Saturday 18th October - 'Cooking with Apples' at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DB (01458 831197)
Opening times: 2.30pm - 4pm
Admission: Free
Details: Help Zaida Haworth with her apple recipes in the Victorian Kitchen.

Saturday 18th to Sunday 19th October - Steam Pressing Weekend at New Forest Cider, Littlemead, Pound Lane, Burley, Hants.
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: Barry Topp has invited Golly of the The Plonkers Agricultural Orchestra to play at the New Forest Cider steam cider press open day. Demonstrations during this 2-day event include a steam driven cider press, hurdle makers, wood turning and its all going be plonkerised, as Golly The Plonker will appearing live (providing he doesn't have too much cider). For more details please check the New Forest Cider website.

Saturday 18th to Sunday 19th October - Apple Day: Cider Making Festival at The Cider Museum, 21 Ryelands Street, Hereford HR4 0LW (01432 354207)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: See craft cider producers at work pressing apples in the most traditional way, alongside a vast range of stalls and attractions based around cider and perry. Take a ride on the dray, pulled by Westons' famous shire horses, then explore the fascinating world of bee-keeping and enter the honey competition. With displays of cider apples and fun for children, there is something to keep everyone occupied throughout the weekend.

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th October - Cider Making Weekend at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DB (01458 831197)
Opening times: 2pm - 5pm
Admission: Free
Details: Traditional cider making in the Abbey Barn using a vintage mill and press and apples from the museum's orchard.

Sunday 19th October - Leominster Apple Fair at Lion Ballroom, Broad Street, Leominster
Opening times: 11.00am - 4.00pm
Admission: tbc
Details: Details from Felicity Norman, tel. 01568 780886.

Sunday 19th October - Apple Day: Tenbury Agricultural Society Fruit Show & Apple Fest.
Opening times: 11am - 4pm
Admission: tbc
Details: tbc

Sunday 19th October - Cider Commentary at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DB (01458 831197)
Opening times: 2pm - 5pm
Admission: Free
Details: Learn about orchard management and cider making with Les Davis.

Sunday 19th October - Apple Day: Church Stretton Apple Fair at Sylvester Horne Institute, High Street, Church Stretton, Shropshire
Opening times: 11.00am - 4.00pm
Admission: tbc
Details: There will be a display of local apples. Details from John Lloyd, Tel. 01694 723143.

Tuesday, 21st October - APPLE DAY
Details: Many events countrywide will be held during the nearest weekends of the 18th & 19th and 25th & 26th. For programme send SAE to Common Ground, Gold Hill House, 21, High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8JE; tel. 01747 850820; wwwebsite: www.commonground.org.uk. Are YOU holding an Apple Day Event in 2008? Contact Kate O'Farrell kate.ofarrell[at]commonground.org.uk to tell us about it.

Saturday 25th October - Apple Day, Pumpkin Show & Conservation Day at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3TR (0121 454 1860)
Opening times: 10.00am - 4.30pm
Admission: Special reduced entry price. Adults £tbc, Concessions £tbc and children free all weekend.
Details: Apple tasting, apple juicing, home made hot dogs and hamburgers with home made apple sauce and apricot stuffing, donkey rides, apple cake, apple ice cream and lots more. For more information telephone Linda Keene on 0121 454 1860.

Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th October (dates to be confirmed) - Apple Day: Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival at Hereford Racecourse, Roman Road, Holmer, Hereford, HR4 9QU (01432 273560)
Opening times: tbc
Admission: tbc
Details: The third Herefordshire food festival will showcase even more outstanding food and drink from one of the most rural counties in England. The two day event will feature around 140 local producers, as well as demonstrations and talks by celebrity guests and locally established chefs and foodies. The results of the 2008 Flavours of Herefordshire Awards will be announced and there will be an opportunity to watch Herefordshire's finest young chefs at work, as well as chatting to the people who make, rear and sell real food with taste.

Thursday 30 October to Saturday 1 November - 21st Swindon Beerex, Steam Museum, Kemble Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire
Opening times: Thursday 6pm-11pm; Friday 12-3.30pm + 6pm-11pm. Saturday 12-8pm
Admission: Thursday £3.00; Friday £2.00 daytime; £4.00 evening; Saturday £2.00.
Details: Over 70 beers and a selection of ciders. Restricted choice from Saturday lunchtime, come early to avoid disappointment. Admission including souvenir glass and free pint for CAMRA members. All sessions have food available, music on Saturday afternoon. Friday evening, tickets only available in advance, other sessions payment on door. Tickets on sale from: Beehive, 55 Prospect Hill, Swindon; Check Inn, 79 Woodland View, North Wroughton; The Glue Pot, Emlyn Square, Swindon. Postal applications (include sae) to Kevin Galton, 124 Okus Road, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 4JP.

Friday 31st October - Harvest Supper at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ
Opening times: tbc
Admission: £15.00 per person, to reserve your table please call Rose, 01531 660108
Details: Celebrate the results of the wassail by an evening tour of the Mill and before sitting down to a hearty harvest supper at Weston's Cider. Places are limited so please book well in advance.

November 2008

Saturday 1st November - Cider & Perry Festival at Roast Ox Inn, Painscastle, Builth Wells, Powys LD2 3JL (01497 851 398) Email: chris@outdoor-sport.u-net.com
Opening times: standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: Display of cider making, real ciders & perries, traditional cider menu. Morris Dancing, Folk Singing. The Cwmbach Quire, and Martin Blake & Aidan Sheehan "The Whiskey River Boys".

Friday 1st & Saturday 1st November - 2nd Pumpkin Cider Festival at The Bell Inn, Buckland Dinham, Frome, Somerset BA11 2QT (01373 462 956)
Opening times: noon - midnight
Admission: £5.00 only available in advance on a first come first served basis - include your first drink and a subsidised Hog Roast
Details: Over 50 ciders and a guest beer, Hobgoblin, along with a Hog Roast, Fire Pits, Apple Bobbing and a huge array of hand carved pumpkins to light it all up. Live Music. Free Parking.

Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th November - 28th Stoke Beer Festival, Kings Hall, Stoke On Trent
Opening times: 11am-3pm; 6pm-11pm
Admission: Wednesday: daytime Trade Invitation only; evening £5.00; CAMRA Members £3.00. Thursday & Friday: daytime free; evening evening £5.00; CAMRA Members £3.00. Saturday: daytime £2.00; CAMRA Members free; evening evening £5.00; CAMRA Members £3.00.
Details: Over 200 beers from UK, bottled beers from around the world. Ciders and Perry, also traditional Country Wines. Entertainment on evening, and both sessions on Saturday.

Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th November - 4th Anniversary Beer Festival, King's Arms, 22 Hall Road, Norwich NR1 3HQ (01603 766361)
Opening times: standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: Over 40 cask ales as well as real cider and perry, personally selected from regional and microbreweries across the UK. A wide range of beers will be available including many dark beers and real cider. All beers will be served on hand pumps at the bar, or on gravity from "The Shed of Dreams" in the beer garden.

Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th November - 18th Wakefield Beer Festival, Light Waves Leisure Centre, Wakefield
Opening times: Thursday: 6pm-11pm (5pm for CAMRA membrts); Friday & Saturday: 11am-11pm.
Admission: £4.00 all sessions. Tickets includes non-refundable souvenir glass and programme. Card-carrying CAMRA members free all times.
Details: Over 120 cooled Real Ales, cider, perry, fruit wines, foreign/British bottled beers. Souvenir Glasses £2.00 (Old Festival glasses £1.00 to hire). Cold snacks available atall sessions. CAMRA products, Tombola and other stalls. Tickets for non-members on sale early September; send SAE + cheque (payable to: ‘Wakefield CAMRA') to: Mark Goodair, 7 Rayner St, Horbury Wakefield WF4 5BD. Mobile 07722142734. Tickets always available on door.

Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th November - Winter Warmer Beer Festival, The Hop Pole Inn, 83 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 9AZ (01296 482129)
Opening times: standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: A selection of over 30 real ales, ciders and perries from every angle of the British Isles featuring seasonal specials, one offs and some of the best beers out there. Live entertainment every night and all day Saturday. Freshly baked real Italian pizzas.

Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th November - 5th Autumn Beer Festival 208, The Dun Cow, Primrose Hill, Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street, Co Durham DH4 6DY (0191 385 2631) email: theduncowbournmoor@yahoo.co.uk
Opening times: starts 7.30pm on Thursday; standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: Over 30 real ales and beers, cider and perries. Live music. Home-cooked food.

Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th November - Medway Beer Festival, Stanlet Ballroom, Gundulph Street, Chatham, Kent
Opening times: Friday 4pm-11pm; Saturday & Sunday 11am-11pm
Admission: £4.00 including glass; £3.00 for CAMRA members
Details: Over 120 real ales, West Country ciders and bottled Belgian beers. Hot food and live entertainment.

Friday 7th November - Harvest Supper at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ
Opening times: tbc
Admission: £15.00 per person, to reserve your table please call Rose, 01531 660108
Details: Celebrate the results of the wassail by an evening tour of the Mill and before sitting down to a hearty harvest supper at Weston's Cider. Places are limited so please book well in advance.

Friday 7th & Saturday 8th November - 15th Woking Beer Festival, Woking Leisure Centre, Woking Park, Woking
Opening times: Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday 11am-3.30pm and 6pm-11pm
Admission: £7.00 advance tickets only
Details: 70+ real ales plus ciders and imported beers. Food and live entertainment, including the famous Wurlitzer Organ. Limited admission by ticket only including souvenir pint glass and programme. Over 18s only. Tickets available from Credit Card Hotline 01483-771122, 8am-9pm, 7 days a week, or by post from Woking Leisure Centre, Woking Park, Kingfield Rd, Woking, Surrey GU22 9BA. Cheques payable to “Woking Borough Council” (include a SAE please). Free pint in festival for card carrying CAMRA members.

Friday 7th to Sunday 9th November - Winter Beer Festival, South Western Arms, St. Denys, Southampton SO17 2HW
Opening times: from noon
Admission: free
Details: Over 30 real ales, ciders and perry.

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th November - Wimborne RFC Winter Beer Fest, Wimborne Rugby Club, Leigh Park, Gordon Road, Wimborne, Dorset.
Opening times: Saturday 7pm-midnight; Sunday noon-10:30pm
Admission: Saturday: £10 ticket - includes 6 beer vouchers and entry into raffle OR £5 on the night - includes 2 beer tokens and entry into raffle.
Details: Real Ales and Ciders. Live Bands. Tickets available behind the bar or call Chappers on 07823 779 669 or email chapers2004@hotmail.com.

Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th November - 14th Watford Beer Festival, West Herts Sports Club, Park Avenue, Watford
Opening times: Thursday 4pm-11pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm
Admission: £2.00. Admission free to CAMRA/EBCU membs/West Herts Sports Club members.
Details: Over 60 real ales, cider & perry. Food available 5-9pm Thursday, 12-3pm/5pm-9pm Friday & Saturday.

Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th November - Belfast Beer & Cider Festival, Kings Hall Complex (Balmoral Hall), Lisburn Road, Belfast
Opening times: Thursday & Friday: noon-11pm. Saturday: 11am-11pm.
Admission: £5.00; discounted admission for CAMRA members.
Details: Over 80 Real Ales plus large selection of Ciders and Perries. Wide selection of foods, pub games, tombola.

Friday 14th to Saturday 15th November - 26th Bury Beer Festival, The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW
Opening times: Friday: noon-4pm & 6pm-11pm; Saturday: noon-11pm.
Admission: Friday daytime £1.50; evening £4.00; Saturday £2.50. Admission free for Card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: 65 real ales plus ciders, perries, fruit wines and foreign bottled beers. Hot food available each session. £2.00 refundable glass deposit.

Tuesday 18th to Saturday 22nd November - 29th Rochford CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival, The Freight House, Bradley Way, Rochford, Essex SS4 1BU
Opening times: Tue 5.30pm - 11pm; Wed/Thu 11.30am - 3pm and 5.30 - 11pm; Fri/Sat 11.30am - 11pm.
Admission: Free.
Details: Over 200 Real Ales, over 35 Ciders, Foreign Beers and Specialised English Bottled Beer Bar. 70 beers from Bristol/Someset; 70 beers from East Anglia; 60 from the Best of the Rest. Food available at all sessions. A music-free festival.

Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd November - Whitchurch Beer Festival, Longmeadow Sports & Social Club, Winchester Road, Whitchurch, Hampshire
Opening times: Friday 7pm-11pm; Saturday 11.30am-3pm, 7pm-11.30pm; Sunday 12-3pm.
Admission: £3.00 (Friday and Saturday daytime); £5.00 (Saturday evening); free Sunday.
Details: 20 beers and ciders with a focus on local/unusual beers. Food, quiet session, families welcome, entertainment (Jon Walsh Blues Band).

Friday 21st to Saturday 22nd November - Wantage Beer Festival, Masonic Hall, Alfred Street, Wantage OX12 8AN
Opening times: 11am-11pm
Admission: £2.00; £1.00 CAMRA members
Details: Over 24 real ales, bottle conditioned beers, cider & perry. Hot and cold food available both days.

Wednesday 26th to Sunday 30th November - Winter Beer Festival at The Dove Street Inn, 76 St. Helens Street, Ipswich, IP4 2LA (01473 211270)
Opening times: standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: Over 50 beers and milds, ciders and perries. Hot and cold food.

Thursday 27th to Saturday 23rd November - St Helens Beer Festival, North West Museum of Transport, Hall Street, St Helens, Lancashire
Opening times: Thursday: 7pm-11pm; Friday: noon-4pm & 6pm-11pm; Sat noon-4pm & 6pm-11pm.
Admission: £5.00 on the door; £3.00 for CAMRA members. No advance tickets.
Details: Over 50 beers, plus ciders and perries. Entertainment on Thursday (The Big Fish); Friday (tbc) and Saturday (The Lazy River Jazz Band).

Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th November - Dudley Winter Ales Fayre, Dudley Concert Hall, St James Road, Dudley
Opening times: Thursday: 5.30pm-11pm; Friday: noon to 11pm; Saturday: noon to 11pm.
Admission: Thursday and Friday - £3.00; £1.00 for card-carrying CAMRA members. Saturday: £1.00; free for card-carrying CAMRA members.
Details: Over 75 real ales including winter beers, cider, wine and bottled beers. Hot and cold food available. Souvenir glass £2.00 including souvenir programme, fully refundable. Live entertainment.

December 2008

Tuesday 2nd to Saturday 6th December - Pig's Ear Beer & Cider Festival at Ocean, Mare Street, Hackney, London E8
Opening times: Tuesday to Thursday: noon-10.30pm; Friday & Saturday: noon-10pm
Admission: Tuesday-Thursday CAMRA members £2.00/non-members £3.00; Free entry Fri noon-2pm.
Details: Over 100 Beers, Renowned Ciders, Bottled and Foreign Beer Bars. Superb modern venue with ample seating. Choice of Food Stalls.

Tuesday 2nd December - Christmas Gift and Food Fair at The Cider Museum, 21 Ryelands Street, Hereford HR4 0LW (01432 354207)
Opening times: 10am to 5pm
Admission: Free
Details: Stalls – craft, food and festive, Floral Demonstrations, Music, Mulled Cider and Mince pies.

Thursday 4th & Friday 5th December - Late Night Shopping Evenings at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ
Details: Choose original and flavoursome Christmas gifts for family and friends whilst stocking up your own cellars and cupboards for the festive season. The shop will stay open until 8pm each evening. Why not book into the Scrumpy House restaurant and make a full evening of it!

Thursday 4th to Saturday 6th December - 7th Harwich & Dovercourt Bay Winter Ale Festival at Kingsway Hall, Dovercourt, Essex
Opening times: 11am-11pm
Admission: £1.00, £2.00 after 6pm on Friday. Admission free to card-carrying CAMRA members all times.
Details: Over 40 real ales (emphasis on dark and seasonal brews), also ciders and bottled continental beers. Souvenir half-pint tankards available. Live music Friday and Saturday evening. Food available at all sessions.

Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th December - Christmas Ale Festival, Lytton Arms, Park Lane, Old Knebworth, Hertfordshire SG3 6QB (01438 812312)
Opening times: standard pub opening times
Admission: free
Details: Over 30 Christmas ales and ciders. BBQ and entertainment in heated marquee.

Thursday 11th & Friday 12th December - Late Night Shopping Evenings at Weston's Cider, The Bounds, Much Marcle, Herefordshire HR8 2NQ
Details: Choose original and flavoursome Christmas gifts for family and friends whilst stocking up your own cellars and cupboards for the festive season. The shop will stay open until 8pm each evening. Why not book into the Scrumpy House restaurant and make a full evening of it!