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11th Old Town Beer and Cider Festival promises four days of unforgettable entertainment
The organisers of the Old Town Beer Festival say it will be the biggest yet. Barrie Hudson reports…
It sounds like a dream come true.
There’s an event coming up that cunningly mixes together beer, cider, comedy and live music.
We’re talking The Old Town Beer and Cider Festival which is celebrating 11 years this year and runs from Thursday 9 to Sunday 12 May.
As ever, the venue will be historic Christ Church and its Community Centre and grounds.
The festivities kick off on Thursday 9 May with a comedy night at Christ Church, featuring a lineup of comedians headlined by the twice Emmy-winning actor and comedian Fiona Allen.
With supporting acts from Jonathon Elston and Ian Macdonald, and hosted by local MC Sam Michael, laughter is guaranteed. Doors open at 6pm for fish and chips and other food available to purchase, with the early beer and cider sampling. The comedy will kick off at 8pm.
Tickets for the evening, priced at only £12, include entry, a festival glass, a festival guide, and the first drink.
Friday 10 May, marks the standard opening night of the festival at Christ Church.
People can come along from 6pm to 11pm and try some of the many beers and ciders on offer while socialising with others. Throughout the festival, attendees can choose from a wide selection of 46 beers, 30 ciders, and for the first time, a wine bar, along with low-alcohol alternative ale, stout, and cider options.
Tickets for the evening are £15 and include entry, a festival glass, a festival guide and two drinks.
Continuing the festivities on Saturday 11 May, the beer festival will be in full swing from noon until 10pm. People will be able to enjoy a day filled with brews and camaraderie, with live music starting at 5pm and continuing into the evening. Tickets for the whole day, including the evening, cost £15 and include entry, festival glass, festival guide and two drinks as well as live music in the evening.
The line-up of live music on Saturday evening is sponsored by Swindon's Rusty Garage Brewery, and will feature performances from Sweet Nightingale, What The Pluck, The Lost Hills, and the Driftwood Country Duo. Tickets for the evening only are £10 and include live music, a festival glass, a festival guide, and first drink.
Closing the festival in grand style on the Sunday evening, 12 May, is SALOS Musical Theatre Company presenting 'An Evening of Songs from Musicals' at Christ Church from 6pm to 9pm. It will feature hits from The Greatest Showman, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked and more, and tickets for this finale event are £12 for adults and £6 for children, including entry and all drinks and snacks for the evening.