At 5.30pm on Monday October 22nd, the Norwich Beer Festival will open the doors to its 41st festival at The Halls.
For a small entrance fee (or join CAMRA for free entrance), visitors can enjoy more real ale than is ever in one place in Norwich, world beers including Trappist and fruit beers, ciders, plus live entertainment.
‘Exploding with delight’ to open the festival are blues and funk band, DC Wilson. The festival simply wouldn’t be the same without some brass, so also playing on the opening evening are Cawston Brass Band.
For those who love a bit of prog rock and Floyd, late Wednesday, see Geneva play, together with folk and originals band The Punch House.
‘There's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark out, and we're wearing sunglasses’ rocking Norwich Beer Fest’ Thursday early evening are ABC Blues Brothers followed by the popular Lovin’ Handful, bringing some well-known Bluegrass and Americana.
Friday night is party night! The Harvs will be warming up with their fun collection of ‘music from everywhere and everywhen’ followed by The Good Times party, disco music to get everyone movin’.
Open all day Saturday only (closing 9.30pm), for a single £3 entrance, hear Blakeney Old Wild Rovers at lunchtime, watch Zingara Blue bring folklore and quirky musical storytelling, then sing-along with Small Talk early evening.
For only £1 on the door, lunchtime audiences will be entertained by rock ‘n’ roll (with some blues and country), funky bluegrass and some blues-rock.
See the full line-up of music on our website.
Craig Harmer, Festival Organiser, explained Saturday is a good day to visit the festival as it’s open all day from midday, with last entrance at 9pm and is not too busy so you can usually just walk straight in at any time.
The festival is attended every year by tens of thousands and each year numbers grow. Some people have commented that the festival is so successful it attracts long queues. To this Martin Ward, committee member, replied: ‘Gone are the days of waiting for a long time in a queue. We now have a fast-track queue system and everyone is surprised how quickly they enter the Halls and are able to purchase their glass and tokens, even on the busier Thursday and Friday.’
The 2018 charity of the Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA Branch is Headway, Norfolk and Waveney’s brain injury charity. Brain injury can affect anyone. Headway supports people with traumatic and acquired brain injury including strokes, their families and carers to regain confidence and overcome challenges. They promote independence and rehabilitation, providing information and support services directly to those in need. The charity will be collecting cash or beer tokens at the festival.
Cash admissions will be available on the door at every session. As always, CAMRA members have free entry all week with the presentation of a valid membership card. Free beer and entrance refunds will be given to anyone purchasing new membership at the festival.
Free entrance to CAMRA members will also be extended to the week of the Great British Beer Festival Winter at the Halls from February 19th to 23rd 2019. The February Festival, which offers beers of every season, shade and style, will be moving to a different CAMRA region from 2020, since the festival moves every three years.
The Great British Beer Festival Winter will also be hosting a Fringe Festival in local pubs and venues, with beer tasting and meet the brewer events planned from 1 February 2019. For more information visit winter.gbbf.org.uk.
CAMRA currently has a national membership of over 191,000 and the Norwich and Norfolk branch are active in offering social events, surveys and campaigns to protect local breweries, pubs and real ale, ciders and perries.
- For more information about Norwich Beer Festival, beer lists and admission times and prices, plus layout and directions, visit our dedicated festival web pages.
