Banburyshire beer festival celebrates 30 years this weekend with a 'momentous occasion'

Saturday’s event in the Hook Norton Brewery field at Scotland End, Hook Norton is set to break through the £400,000 barrier in charitable donations.

Spokesman and festival committee member Kevin Hope said: “No doubt about it the Festival of Fine Ales - or the beer festival as it’s affectionately known - has become a village institution and as well as packing in the local crowds, it attracts followers from across the UK and beyond. It is a momentous occasion.”

The Festival of Fine Ales started in 1993, when a contingent from Hooky visited a beer festival in the Vale of Evesham where, bolstered by their fill of warm beer, believed that they could do better and do it for charity.

It helped that that among them was Hook Norton Brewery owner James Clarke. The idea of the festival was born there and then.

"Let’s face it, drinking beer to raise money for charity – what’s not to like?” said Mr Hope.

“A lot of time and effort went into establishing the first festival in the gardens of the Pear Tree Inn and a number of people who were involved at the start still support the beer festival in varying capacities - ‘as a drinker’ being the most popular.

"The festival became a roaring success, even on some notably wet weekends and despite road closures, it outgrew the available space. So, in the late noughties, the decision was made to move the festival to the Rural Fayre field on the edge of the village which gave it the space to expand. Since 2021 its new home is the land and fields beyond the brewery, at the top of Brewery Lane,” he said.

Visitors may sample 100 different ales in just one day. Non beer drinkers may choose from cider, lager, Pimms, Prosecco and wine. Food is in plentiful supply and the whole festival is set to a backdrop of live music from local bands curated by Pete Watkins.

“There are two main pillars of this festival which differentiates it from almost every other around the country,” Mr Hope said.

“Firstly, we ask brewers from all over the UK to donate a barrel or two free of charge to maximise the amount we can give away. A team of ‘beer beggars’ starts ringing round breweries in April/May each year and even in these challenging times they are generous – with some contributing several brews.

"Casks from Hook Norton Brewery are shipped out across the country courtesy of a local food wholesaler whose deliveries cover most of the geography. Those same delivery vehicles pick up the filled casks during the first 2-3 weeks on July to be stored in perfect conditions in the brewery cellars. All involved are volunteers.

“All profits are donated to national and local charities. In 1986 James Clarke lost his sister to leukaemia and his family have been staunch supporters of the festival and the charity Bloodwise (formerly Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research) ever since.

"Since 1994, this charity receives over half of the profits which goes supports research work at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. The remainder is divided among many worthy local causes.”