{"id":279,"date":"2014-03-25T23:18:53","date_gmt":"2014-03-25T23:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nclbcf.cannybevvy.co.uk\/?page_id=279"},"modified":"2026-09-23T14:36:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T14:36:50","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nclbcf-tynland.camra.org.uk\/wordpress\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"Our festival story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Newcastle Beer & Cider Festival \u00b7 Since 1976<\/p>

A Newcastle tradition, made by volunteers.<\/h2>

From the Guildhall on the Quayside to today\u2019s festival at Northumbria Students\u2019 Union, people have gathered to discover beer, meet friends and support the local beer scene.<\/p>

In 2027 we return for our 49th festival<\/strong>, from 7\u201310 April.<\/p>Join us in 2027<\/a><\/div>

\"Visitors
Festival visitors at Northumbria Students\u2019 Union.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

From the Quayside to campus<\/h2>

  1. 1976 \u00b7 The Guildhall<\/p>

    A first gathering on the Quayside<\/h3>

    The first festival took place on 26\u201327 November 1976: 25 ales from 13 breweries, with admission costing 30p.<\/p><\/li>

  2. 1980 \u00b7 Newcastle 900<\/p>

    Part of the city\u2019s celebrations<\/h3>

    The fourth festival joined Newcastle\u2019s 900th-anniversary celebrations, offering 60 beers from 30 breweries at the Guildhall.<\/p><\/li>

  3. 1989 \u00b7 Newcastle University<\/p>

    A new home at the students\u2019 union<\/h3>

    The 13th festival moved to Newcastle University Students\u2019 Union as the event grew.<\/p><\/li>

  4. The move to Northumbria<\/p>

    Across the city, into another chapter<\/h3>

    Refurbishment at Newcastle University prompted a move to Northumbria Students\u2019 Union, our home for the 2027 festival.<\/p><\/li>

  5. 2027 \u00b7 Festival number 49<\/p>

    See you on 7\u201310 April<\/h3>

    The count is of festivals held, rather than consecutive years. There was no festival in 1977, 2020 or 2021.<\/p><\/li><\/ol>

    Historical details from Canny Bevvy, issue 259, pages 16\u201317 (PDF)<\/a>, by Hubert Gieschen, drawing on Jan Anderson\u2019s festival history.<\/p><\/section>

    Local beer has always been part of the story<\/h2>

    Big Lamp Bitter appeared at the 1983 festival. Mordue launched at the festival in 1995 and won Champion Beer of Britain with Workie Ticket two years later.<\/p>

    Those are two moments in a much longer relationship between the festival and the region\u2019s brewers.<\/p><\/section>

    The people behind the bars<\/h2>

    Tyneside & Northumberland CAMRA volunteers organise the festival. There is work to do well before the doors open, from arranging supplies and building bars to welcoming visitors and serving drinks.<\/p>

    Whether you come for a familiar beer, your first perry or a catch-up with friends, you are joining an event that people give their time to make happen.<\/p>

    Volunteer with us<\/a>Work with the festival<\/a><\/div><\/section>

    Were you there?<\/h2>

    Have an old programme, a photograph, a festival glass or a memory of the Guildhall days? We would love to hear your part of the story.<\/p>

    Tell us the year and venue if you know them, and who took any photographs. We will check permission before publishing material you share.<\/p>Share a festival memory<\/a><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Newcastle Beer & Cider Festival \u00b7 Since 1976 A Newcastle tradition, made by volunteers. From the Guildhall on the Quayside to today\u2019s festival at Northumbria Students\u2019 Union, people have gathered to discover beer, meet friends and support the local beer scene. In 2027 we return for our 49th festival, from 7\u201310 April. Join us in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4639,"parent":0,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-279","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","czr-hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t