Beer festivals!
Sunshine, rising temperatures and longer days call for fresh beers, and there’s nothing better than discovering your newest favourite surrounded by an amazing festival atmosphere. So, to help you out on your craft beer journey this year, we’ve put together a list of the best craft beer festivals in 2020.
Craft beer festivals London, Manchester, Bristol and more!
January 2020
23rd - 25th January | Manchester
Manchester Beer and Cider Festival
Kicking off this year’s festivities is the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival, which takes place at Manchester Central. Head over for a whopping choice of over 745 different beers, ciders, fruit wines and gins spanning 24 bars. Beer-wise, though, you can expect to try a bit of everything from traditional British ales to modern and international crafty beers.
February 2020
4th-8th February | Birmingham
Great British Beer Festival Winter
Birmingham is set to host the Great British Beer Festival Winter 2020. Expect a beer line up of all kinds, from light to dark ales, stouts, porters, bitters, world beers and ciders. If beer tasting, great food, live music and award-winning brews sound like your thing then head to New Bingley Hall this February, the ‘biggest and boldest venue in the West Midlands'.
27th-29th February | London
BrewLDN
A new festival on the scene, BrewLDN. They believe the secret to a good beer festival is beer, and lots of it. With over 150 brewers represented you can see old favourites and find some new ones! They work with some great music talent and partner with 8 gourmet street food vendors to bring you the best street food going!
March 2020
9th - 15th March | Sheffield
Sheffield Beer Week
Collaboration is the message at the heart of this week-long celebration, which takes place throughout the city in various local pubs, restaurants and bars. You’re free to roam around brewery open days, sample food pairings at participating restaurants, and enjoy tap takeovers hosted by bars in the city - all in the name of celebrating Sheffield's beer scene.
April 2020
April | Manchester
We Are Lager
The UK’s biggest dedicated lager festival returns this year with the ethos, “Drink Better Lager”. The four day event in Manchester’s Deansgate aims to showcase the best lager they can get their hands on in an effort to demonstrate the power of this often overlooked beer style. It’s accompanied by music from Manchester’s longest running club night, Funkademia.
April | Leeds
Hop City
Northern Monk celebrate two beer festivals. The spring edition, held in April celebrates the start of the warmer seasons by showcasing the freshest and hoppiest beers out there. They bring together over 30 of the world's greatest producers of hoppy brews, you'll see old classics pouring from the taps and hopefully some new ones too!
May 2020
May | Oxford
Oxford Beer Week
What better way to enjoy the warmer weather in May than with a cold beer brewed locally in Oxford? The Oxford Brewers Alliance organise this series of events held across the city to shine a light on the diversity of local beers in the area. Events are yet to be finalised but will be updated soon.
June 2020
5th - 6th June | Belfast
Belfast Craft Beer Festival
Craft beer and gin lovers unite at this year’s Belfast Craft Beer Festival, which features a Gin Garden as its headliner! But don’t be fooled: craft beer still takes centre stage. Put their 200+ list of top quality Irish brewers to the test alongside servings of gin cocktails, ciders, pizzas, hot dogs and of course, a thoroughly buzzing atmosphere.
June | Manchester
Summer Beer Thing 2020
Summer Beer Thing presents the very best beer styles from the North West’s abundant brewery scene. With a focus on freshness and perfect summer pairings, expect cherry picked craft beers and the tastiest street food you can imagine.
June | Liverpool
Liverpool Craft Beer Expo
This one’s definitely worth checking out if you’re the early-adopter type or keen to discover exciting and innovative new craft breweries from all over the world. It’s held at the Invisible Wind Factory, which is “a cultural theme park of the future”. That says it all, really, doesn't it?
August 2020
15th-22nd August | Nottingham
Nottingham Craft Beer Festival
Starting in 2013 Nottingham's Craft Beer Festival is evidence of rapidly growing craft beer scene. It's going from strength to strength. With 30+ bars and breweries from around the city, it's the best place to enjoy beer, street food and live music.
17th | Newcastle
Friends of Anarchy Beer Fest
Anarchy Brew Co open the doors to their veey own Newcastle taproom for the third edition of their Friends Of Anarchy festival. Featuring some of the best brewers from around the world, great local bands and an arrya of fast food stalls.
September 2020
11th - 13th September | Bristol
Bristol Craft Beer Festival
Lloyds Amphitheatre in Bristol is the setting for the Bristol Craft Beer Festival, which boasts hundreds of special beers. And, like the Edinburgh event (see below), a ticket grants you access to the festival as well as all your beer, a glass, and the festival magazine.
October 2020
9th-10th | Edinburgh
Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival
The first breweries are soon to be announced for this exciting event in Leith, but we do know that along with exceptional craft beers from Scotland and elsewhere, attendees will be treated to pop-up kitchens and live music. The best part is, once you’ve bought your ticket, everything’s included (yes, even all the beer), so aside from food and extra merch you can enjoy the festival worry-free.
November 2020
5th-7th November | Malton
Beertown Malton
North Yorkshire dwellers would do well to visit the market town of Malton for an afternoon to experience the town transform into a “Theatre of Beer” for Beertown. Beers are yet to be announced, but last year’s event showcased 70 of the best brews from some of the hottest breweries in the UK and further afield.
27th-28th November | London
London Craft Beer Festival
Head to the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London for CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival. This yearly event promises a truly enormous selection of craft beers and real ales from all around the world to fill the space, along with fun entertainment and activities