Beer Festivals

Southern Hampshire CAMRA has been running the Southampton Beer Festival at Southampton Guildhall for the past 15 years.

In 2010 we added to this by organising an Autumn Festival, in Woolston, appropriately called Woolston Beer Festival. We repeated this last year and we hope to keep it as an annual event.

In 2011 we held Winchester Real Ale and Cider Festival at the end of March, returning a CAMRA beer festival to Winchester Guildhall after a gap of 28 years. This was another big success and the return in 2012 was equally so.

All the staff at our beer festivals are volunteers. Many members of Southern Hampshire CAMRA also volunteer their time to work at the Great British Beer Festival each year.

Some of our aims in running beer festivals are:

To serve customers quality cask conditioned real ale.
To promote real ale to the local community, therefore increasing its popularity.
To promote membership of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

CAMRA Beer Festivals

If you'd like us to email you and let you know when we're holding beer festivals then join our "beerfests" mailing list and we'll keep you informed!

Yapton Beer Festival – 18th, 19th & 20th May 2012. Always a good festival, especially if the weather is fine. Run by Western Sussex CAMRA
16th Southampton Beer Festival – 31st May, 1st, & 2nd June 2012. Southampton Guildhall. For many years the main Southern Hampshire Branch beer festival – we think it's the best on the South Coast. For a review of the 2011 festival see here. Tickets are now on sale. The full website is at www.southamptonbeerfestival.org.uk.
Salisbury Beerex XXXII – 15th & 16th June 2012. Fri 6.30-11pm; Sat 11-3.30pm, 6.30-11pm. Tickets £10 inc souvenir glass & programme. Card-carrying CAMRA members get 1/2 pint free. Run by Salisbury & South Wiltshire CAMRA in association with Salisbury Arts Centre & Rotary COGS.
Great British Beer Festival – 7th to 11th August 2012. Olympia, London. 55,000 people expected at the biggest real ale festival in the world – run by volunteers from all CAMRA branches. Tickets on sale now.

Non-CAMRA Beer Festivals

Many beer festivals take place in our branch area, or nearby, that are not CAMRA beer festivals. Despite being unable to endorse these events, we believe that any beer festival that sells quality cask-conditioned real ales should be supported (see you there!). The information given here is purely for the benefit of readers, and is accurate to the best of our knowledge.

• Sat 19/05/2012	Newbury Racecourse Beer Festival The Racecourse, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7NZ The highlight of Newbury's Flat racing season featuring the JLT Group 1 Lockinge Stakes. They will also be staging their Beer Festival featuring a wide selection of local real ales and live music. http://www.newbury-racecourse.co.uk/Racing/Fixtures---Tickets/Saturday-19th-May
• Fri 25/05/2012 – Sun 27/05/2012	The Rockstone White Trash Country Bash Cider Festival 63 Onslow Rd, Bevois Valley, Southampton SO14 0JL Sounds more of a music & food festival and we're not sure how many of the ciders are 'real'. See for yourself at http://www.therockstone.co.uk/index.php/events.html
• Fri 01/06/2012 – Sun 03/06/2012	Compass Inn, Winsor Winsor Road, Winsor, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 2HE. From 7pm Friday through to 11pm Sunday. There will be 30 real ales, music & barbecue. Look at their website, or phone 023 8081 2237.
• Fri 01/06/2012 – Sun 03/06/2012	Phoenix Inn, Twyford High Street, Twyford, Hampshire, SO21 1RF The Phoenix's 1st Beer Festival with a minimum of 10 real ales. Plenty of food & music as well, plus on Saturday they'll be hosting the real ale bar at the Twyford Village Jubilee Party in the Park, and Monday 4pm to 11pm will see a mixed pairs darts competition. See www.thephoenixinn.co.uk for details.
• Sat 02/06/2012 – Mon 04/06/2012	Poole Ex-Servicemans Club 66 North Rd, Poole, Dorset, BH14 0LY Sorry, no further information on this.
• Sat 02/06/2012 – ?	Westbourne Social Club River Street, Westbourne, Nr Emsworth PO10 8TG Over the weekend of 2nd (so may start Friday & ends sometime). 12 to 15 real ales and ciders. They have a space on the village website but it's rather out of date - http://www.westbournevillage.org/westclub.html
• Sun 03/06/2012	Cowplain Social Club London Road, Cowplain, Waterlooville PO8 8EN Their first annual beer festival. Around 10 real ales and 4 ciders. Sorry, no information on their website yet. http://www.cowplainsocialclub.org.uk/
• Fri 08/06/2012 – Sat 09/06/2012	Alton Summer Beer Festival, Alton College Old Odiham Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2LX In the new Alton College venue, the summer festival has expanded to two days. 7pm to 11pm Friday and two sessions 11am to 3pm & 7pm to 11pm on Saturday. Expect about 50 real ales, ciders, local wines, live music & good food. Tickets (Available now) are £7, in advance. (Possibly on the door as well, but why risk it?) Beer is £2 a pint. Full details on Alton Beer Festival website. You MUST bring your own glass this year – none provided.
• Thurs 14/06/2012 – Sat 16/06/2012	German Beer Festival Hoglands Park, Southampton City Centre SO15 1HU Only two beers and they are unlikely to be real ale – see for yourself at http://www.beerfestuk.com/southampton.htm
• Sat 16/06/2012 – Sun 17/06/2012	Boarhunt Beer Festival North Boarhunt Social Club, Trampers Lane, North Boarhunt, PO17 6DD Annual Beer Festival, now in its 6th year. Weekend tickets are available for £6 each, and include a glass. Real Ales, real ciders, live music and food. A full bar is available (including soft drinks). Family friendly – accompanied children (before 9:00pm) and well behaved dogs (on a lead) are welcome. Entrance is free for children. All profits go to good causes, 50% goes to Naomi House Children's Hospice and 50% goes to the North Boarhunt Village Social Club. Additional details and tickets available from http://www.boarhuntbeerfestival.co.uk/.
• Sat 23/06/2012	Somborne Beer & Music Festival King's Somborne (on A3057 6 miles N of Romsey) 3pm – 11pm in the village of King's Somborne, in the recreation ground & village hall. Real Ale Bar supplied by the Crown Inn. Hog Roast, other food, stalls & Childrens’ entertainment. Tickets £5 (afternoon only) £10 (all day) from www.Sombornesessions.co.uk. Details on their poster.
• Sat 23/06/2012 – Sun 24/06/2012	Petersfield Festival of Food and Drink Market Square, Petersfield Emphasis on food but the local pubs are involved as well. http://petersfieldfoodfestival.com
• Fri 29/06/2012 – Sun 01/07/2012	King Rufus, Eling Eling Hill, Eling, SO40 9HE 15+ real ales available. Friday 11am-3pm + 6pm 'til late, Saturday 11am 'til late, Sunday Mid-day 'til 10.30pm. Friday evening meat raffle, Saturday hog roast late afternoon & music in evening, Sunday judging of the 'Spud in the Bucket' competiton – proceeds from the entry fees will go to charity; contact Kim Sainsbury at The King Rufus (023 8086 8899), for details on how to enter. Pubs website is http://www.thekingrufus.co.uk though currently it lists lats year's festival.
• Fri 29/06/2012 – Sun 01/07/2012	Gunwharf Quays Food and Real Ale Festival Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth Harbour PO1 3TZ Food and Real Ale Festival. About twenty local beers and a few ciders. Entrance is usually £1, this gets you a list of the beers and a half pint plastic cup. Take Pewter as no glass is allowed, but don‘t lose the plastic as that‘s all they will serve it in. Music during the event. Details here. Gunwharf Quays has it's own website, but that doesn't go far enough yet.
• Sat 30/06/2012 – Sun 01/07/2012	Master Builders Hotel, Buckler's Hard Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu, Hampshire SO42 7XB Family Food & Drink Festival. Annual festival from 11am to 4 pm each day to celebrate the best of Hampshire, with a Beer Tent showcasing local beers and ciders, all day barbecues, live music, and entertainment. Entrance is free and there is plenty of car parking (you may well have to pay for this). Details on Agent Smart website, the hotel's own website doesn't list it!
• Fri 06/07/2012 – Sat 07/07/2012	Third Guildford Beer Festival Guildford Cricket Club, The Sports Ground, Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4RP Around 60 cask ales from about 25 independent breweries plus about 10 ciders from small producers, wines and soft drinks. Open Friday 18.00 to 21.30 and Saturday 12.00 to 16.00 and 18.00 to 21.30. Entrance £7, with £3 refund on the gate for CAMRA members. Food & Music each session. Full details on Cricket Club website.
• Sat 07/07/2012 – Sun 08/07/2012	Concorde Club Jazz & Beer Festival Concorde Club, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, SO50 9HQ The Concorde Club will be running a Jazz & Beer Festival in its gardens. Various Jazz bands will play over the weekend and there will be at least 12 local real ales. The festival is held in the garden at the back of the club. It's a charity event and is suitable for children. The Jazz will be interrupted regularly for Duck and Camel racing. There is an Aunt Sally and a few other stalls. Open from noon to 7pm Saturday & noon to 5pm Sunday. For more information and to buy advance tickets, visit the Concorde Club website.
• Fri 13/07/2012 – Sat 14/07/2012	Camberley Town Football Supporters Club 2012 Beer & Cider Festival Krooner Park, Wilton Road, Camberley, GU15 2QW Around twenty real ales and four ciders all at £2.50 a pint, plus burgers & bacon rolls. Admission £6 (£5 advance) per session (£3 for concessions & CAMRA members) or £8 for both if bought in advance. Friday 16:00 - 22:00. Saturday: 12:00 - 22:00. See www.ctfcsupportersclub.co.uk. for ticket details.
• Fri 20/07/2012 – Sun 22/07/2012	Weyhill Fair Weyhill Road, Weyhill, Andover, SP11 0PP Not much information yet but last year there were over 50 real ales and 3 days of free live music from some of the best cover bands in Andover, plus a hog roast, other food in a large tent. Be warned that security is tight. No glass allowed so bring pewter if your don't like plastics. See http://weyhillfair.webs.com (2011 ATM) for the beer festival and www.weyhillfair.co.uk for the pub's event page.
• Fri 27/07/2012	Dean Park Inn, Bournemouth 41 Wimbourne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6NB 2nd Real Ale & Cider Festival; with 24 Traditional Real Ales and 16 Cider & Perries. Live music featuring Folk bands all weekend. Also showcasing a selection of 15 home made sausages in a crusty baguette! Accommodation and parking available. Website www.deanparkinn.co.uk.
• Fri 27/07/2012 – Sun 29/07/2012	Hollycombe Steam Museum Liphook Hollycombe Working Steam Museum, Iron Hill, Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7LP Hollycombe's first ever beer festival with several real ales available, including their own 'Razzle Dazzle' real ale. Friday 6pm - 11pm ticket only (VIP night), Saturday 11am - 11pm, Sunday 12 noon - 9pm. Various events such as tutored tastings, music & morris dancing and (at extra cost) steam train rides. See www.hollycombe.co.uk for all the details.
• Sat 11/08/2012 – Sun 12/08/2012	Brushmakers Arms Shoe Lane, Upham, Hampshire SO32 1JJ The Brush 2012 Beer Festival – still in planning stage at the moment but likly to be similar to last year. Keep an eye on their website.
• Fri 17/08/2012 – Sat 18/08/2012	Horse & Groom, Woodgreen Woodgreen, (Nr. Fordingbridge), Hampshire SP6 2AS Ciders, sausages & real ales. Selection of real ales & ciders from 3.5%. Live music. Keep an eye on their website.
• Fri 17/08/2012 – Sun 19/08/2012	Tichborne Arms – "Tichy Beer Festival IV" Tichborne, Nr. Alresford, Hants. SO24 0NA Their annual beer festival is taking place as usual from 6pm on Friday to 7pm on Sunday. In excess of 50 different beers in the marquee and indoors. Live bands in the evenings and Sunday afternoon. Hog/Lamb roasts on Saturday and Sunday. Limited camping available. More details nearer the time. Keep an eye on their website.
• Sat 18/08/2012	Fleet Lions Beer Festival Ancells Farm Community Centre, Fleet, Hants, GU51 2XF 15 mins from the railway station. 28 different Real Ales + Ciders, BBQ & some great local bands lined up to add to the mood. 2 Sessions 11.00am to 3.00pm & 5.30pm to 9.30pm. Tickets £6 in advance (£7 on the door subject to availability) – see their website for all details. The profits from this festival go to charity.
• Thurs 30/08/2012 – Sun 02/09/2012	Ale at Amberley 7 Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre, Amberley, Nr Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9LT Around 100 ales, ciders & perries from Sussex & further afield. Evening sessions are beer festival only whereas the afternoon sessions (Saturday & Sunday) combine entrance to the museum and the Craft & Food Fair. Details are on the Ale at Amberley website www.aleatamberley.co.uk (The Museum website is www.amberleymuseum.co.uk)
• Fri 14/09/2012 – Sun 16/09/2012	Colden Common Beer Festival Community Centre, St. Vigor Way, Colden Common, Hampshire SO50 7HH Friday 6.30 – 11pm, Saturday – 2pm to 11.30pm. Admission £8.00, £1 discount for CAMRA members. Live music & food both days (BBQ Saturday). Sunday is a Family day with entertainment and activities for the children, but there will still be some beer. 2pm to 5.30pm, entrance £3 adult or child. More details nearer the time on http://www.coldencommoncc.co.uk/.
• Sat 13/10/2012	9th Wickham Charity Beer Festival The Wickham Centre, Mill Lane, Wickham, Nr. Fareham, PO17 5AL Just the date for now. www.wickhambeerfestival.co.uk.

If you know of any more non-CAMRA beer festivals in our branch area then please email the details to us.