First ever Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival set to take place next week

It’s time to raise your glasses for the first ever Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival.

A joint venture between East Bedfordshire CAMRA and the Biggleswade Conservative Club, the festival will run for three days from 3pm on Thursday, May 11 until last orders on Saturday, May 13.

The festival will feature local breweries within a 30 miles radius of Biggleswade. There will be around 28 different real ales, and eight ciders and perries with styles to suit as many tastes as possible – including some specials that have been brewed specially for the coronation of King Charles, which takes place this Saturday.

The festival, at the Biggleswade Conservative Club on St Andrews Street, is free to attend and open to the public. The festival bar will use a pre-purchase voucher system to buy drinks which will be available in measures of thirds, halves, or pints. Payment vouchers can be purchased on arrival. A £2 refundable deposit will be charged for festival glasses.

Organisers are also looking for enthusiastic volunteers to serve behind the bars, sell tokens, and welcome visitors, help setup and take down the festival. No experience is necessary as full training will be provided.

The official festival charity is the Rehoming Animal Telephone Service, otherwise knows as RATS. After being forced to close their charity shop in Hitchin Street after flooding, they’ve re-opened in a new shop just around the corner from the festival at 1B Market Square, Biggleswade.

To find out more about the festival and how to become a volunteer go to the Conservative Club's website.