Get ready for Burnley Beer fest

The theme for this year’s festival, which runs from Thursday, September 10th until Saturday, September 12th, is “Championship Beer” with organisers aiming to have at least one beer available from every town or city which has a team in the Football League Championship.

The festival has once again been organised by the East Lancashire Branch of CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) together with the Mechanics, where it will be held.

It will be open from noon until 11pm each day with disabled access via the lift available. The main sponsors of this year’s festival are Moorhouse’s Brewery, Community Rail Lancashire, the New Brew-m micro-pub and Charter Walk Shopping Centre with added support from Pendleside Hospice, Flying Firkin, HB Clarks, Bridge Bier Huis, Batch Gin, Ministry of Ale, Barden Lane Chippy, the Talbot and Ye Olde Sparrowhawk.

A spokesman for the event said: “We are also holding the North-West judging of the Bitter category for the Champion Beer of Britain on the Thursday evening. Over 80 different real ales will be served and all our East Lancashire based breweries should be represented together with beers from further afield. Although open all day the official opening takes place at 7pm on Thursday evening by members of the Vintage Clarets, then there will be the usual blessing of the beer, workers and drinkers by Fr Peter Hapgood-Strickland.

Entertainment is provided on both Friday and Saturday evenings, kicking off with the Flat Cap Pack at 7-15pm on Friday, quickly followed by the Blackjacks at 8-30pm. On Saturday Furious Styles play at 6-30pm followed by Tale of Two Counties at 8-30pm.

The new look Mechanics Bar will be open downstairs serving soft drinks, hot drinks, snacks and wine. They will also be taking food orders from the new Bistro menu together with some beer festival favourites.