The Peterborough Beer Festival is back for its 46th year, bringing more than 350 beers, ciders, wines and spirits to the city’s Embankment.
Organisers said this year’s set-up was especially tough, with scorching weather making it “exhausting” to prepare the greenfield site. Chief organiser Mike Lane explained: “It is a greenfield site – there’s nothing there – we have to put the fences up, get the marquees erected and in that heat it was extraordinarily hard work.” Crews relied on water and ice to keep both themselves and the beer in good condition ahead of opening.
Despite the challenges, the festival has returned in style. Stretching more than 91 metres, the event’s famous bar is thought to be the longest continuous beer bar in the UK. Visitors will be able to enjoy a huge range of brews, from crisp lagers and traditional bitters to innovative new ales and ciders.
The event isn’t just about beer. Organisers have made a big push to ensure it appeals to everyone, describing it as a community event with food stalls, a fun fair, and plenty of alcohol-free choices. “We want people to come and enjoy themselves and be responsible and treat it as a family event,” said Lane.
Last year the festival attracted around 25,000 people and raised nearly £19,000 for Sue Ryder’s Thorpe Hall Hospice. This year, organisers are hoping to go one better, setting a £20,000 fundraising target.
Beer historian Steve Dunkley is also on hand at the CAMRA Learn and Discover bar, where visitors can sample ingredients and learn more about how different beers are brewed. “We just want to see everybody enjoying themselves,” he said.
Running until Saturday, the Peterborough Beer Festival remains one of the biggest fixtures in the city’s calendar – and a highlight for beer lovers across the country.
