Beer Festivals

Southern Hampshire CAMRA has been running Southampton Beer Festival in its current format since 1997. The first 20 events were at Southampton Guildhall and in 2017 Southampton Beer Festival moved to St Mary's Stadium.

In 2010 we added to this by organising an Autumn Festival, in Woolston, appropriately called Woolston Beer Festival. We repeated this the next year and it has become annual event.

In 2011 we held Winchester Real Ale and Cider Festival at the end of March, returning a CAMRA beer festival to Winchester Guildhall after a gap of 28 years. This was another big success and remained so up until 2020 when it was the last CAMRA beer festival before the Covid lockdown. Since then we have been unable to return to the Guildhall but 2024 is looking good for a new venue 7th & 8th June, more details soon.

All the staff at our beer festivals are volunteers. Many members of Southern Hampshire CAMRA also volunteer their time to work at the Great British Beer Festival each year.

Some of our aims in running beer festivals are:

  • To serve customers quality cask conditioned real ale.
  • To promote real ale to the local community, therefore increasing its popularity.
  • To promote membership of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

If you'd like us to email you and let you know when we're holding beer festivals then join our "beerfests" mailing list and we'll keep you informed!

Listing policy

For CAMRA beer festivals we list those within 50 miles of our branch area. Please check the individual websites for details. We to research non-CAMRA festivals as best we can and list those within 25 miles of our branch area. Inevitably we will miss a few, some aren't well publicized, so if you know of more please drop us an email and let us know. In any case you should check with the venue for any last minute changes before attending.

CAMRA Beer Festivals

  • 47th Farnham Beerex – 10th, 11th & 12th April 2025
    Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QR
    Jointly run by Farnham Lions Club, Farnham Maltings, CAMRA Surrey/Hants Borders Branch, and a number of enthusiastic volunteers, and famously running for 47 years in the same venue. Expect around 60 real ales and 30 ciders & perries. Food and entertainment each session. Open Thursday evening 18:00 – 23:00, Friday 11:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, and Saturday 11:00 – 15:30 & 18:00 – 23:00. All sessions £14 except Friday lunchtime £10. Earlybird tickets at £12.50 are available until 17th January.
     
  • Chippenham Beer, Cider and Perry Festival – 25th & 26th April 2025
    Olympiad Leisure Centre, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham SN15 3PA
    Friday 17:30 – 23:00, Saturday 11:00 – 16:00 & 19:00 – 23:00. Tickets £15 Friday evening, £15 Saturday lunchtime and £12 Saturday evening. All tickets include £5 worth of beer tokens. Run by CAMRA North West Wiltshire Branch.
     
  • Yapton Beerex – 9th, 10th & 11th May 2025
    Yapton and Ford Village Hall, Yapton, West Sussex BN18 0ET
    Always a good festival, especially if the weather is fine, and this year is the 33rd Yapton Beer Festival. Fri 11:30 – 21:30; Sat 11:00 – 21:00; Sun 12:00 – 15:00. Tickets £8 Friday, £8 Saturday (£4 from 17:00) and free entrance Sunday. Tickets available online and from selected pubs. There is now a scheduled bus service (Stagecoach 500) to & from Barnham so the vintage bus service has been retired. Run by Western Sussex CAMRA.
     
  • Kingston Beer & Cider Festival 2025 – 12th, 13th & 14th June 2025
    Kingston Workmen's Club & Institute, 25 Old London Road, Kingston Upon Thames KT2 6ND
    11:00 – 22:30 Thursday; 11:00 – 22:30 Friday; 11:00 – 19:00 Saturday. Last year tickets were £5 Thursday & Friday, £2 Saturday. Run by Kingston & Leatherhead CAMRA.
     
  • Salisbury Summerfest 2025 – 20th & 21st June 2025
    Salisbury Guildhall, Market Place, Salisbury SP1 1JH
    Fri 18:30 – 23:00; Sat 11:00 – 15:00 & 17:00 – 21:00 tickets £tba per session. Run by Salisbury & South Wiltshire CAMRA.
     
  • 12th Winchester Beer & Cider Festival – 27th & 28th June 2025
    University of Winchester Students Union, Sparkford Road, Winchester SO22 4NR
    Four sessions Fri 11:30 – 16:00 & 18:30 – 22:30, Sat 11:30 – 16:00 & 18:30 – 22:30. Each session £10. Up to 65 cask ales plus a range of real ciders and perry and a selection of bottled/canned beers. Tickets (£10) will go on sale in March or early April. Run by our own Southern Hampshire CAMRA branch.
     
  • 12th Maidenhead Beer & Cider Festival – 4th & 5th July 2025
    NMCC Sports Bar, Summerleaze Park, off Summerleaze Road, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 8SP
    Just the dates for now. Run by Slough, Windsor & Maidenhead CAMRA
     
  • 24th Devizes Beer Festival – 4th & 5th July 2025
    The Wharf, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1EB
    We have the dates only so far. Run by Devizes CAMRA.
     
  • Basingstoke Beer Festival – 5th, 6th & 7th September 2025
    Basingstoke Sports & Social Club, Fairfields Road, Basingstoke, RG21 3DR
    Just the dates for now. Run by CAMRA North Hampshire Branch.
     
  • 16th Ascot Racecourse Beer Festival – 3rd & 4th October 2025
    Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7JX
    Organised by CAMRA Berkshire South-East, in conjunction with Ascot Racecourse. Just the dates for now.
     

For CAMRA festivals over the whole of the UK see the main CAMRA website
 

Non-CAMRA Beer Festivals

Many beer festivals take place in our branch area, or nearby, that are not CAMRA beer festivals. Despite being unable to endorse these events, we believe that any beer festival that sells quality cask-conditioned real ales should be supported (see you there!). The information given here is purely for the benefit of readers, and is accurate to the best of our knowledge.
To get your beer festival listed here send an email to beerfestivals@shantscamra.org.uk

    Fri 04/04/2025
       – Sat 05/04/2025
29th Wickham Charity Beer Festival
The Wickham Centre, Mill Lane, Wickham, Nr. Fareham, PO17 5AL
Open Friday 19:00 – 23:00 (£10), Saturday 11:00 – 16:00 (£8) and 17:30 – 22:30 (£11). All day Saturday tickets £13 and the centre is open between those sessions, the bar will be closed but you can get food. Friday evening is a Beer, Blues and Curry evening, but you will need to pay extra in advance for the curry. More details on wickhambeerfestival.co.uk
    Fri 04/04/2025
       – Sun 06/04/2025
Andover Tap Winter Beer Festival
Andover Tap at The Lamb, 21 Winchester Street, Andover SP10 2EA
Over 20 cask and craft ales. 11:00 – 22:30 Friday & Saturday, 12:00 – 18:00 Sunday. See hantsnorth.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=214756 for details.
    Fri 04/04/2025
       – Sun 06/04/2025
The Star Coffee & Ale House Cider & Sausage Festival
40 High Street, Ryde PO33 2HT
Cider and Sausage Festival 12:00 – 21:00 Friday, 11:00 – 20:00 Saturday and 12:00 – 16:00 Sunday. Cider, Sausages and more fun, including live music and games. A small mention on their website www.ryde.cafe. The times are a bit of a guess.
    Fri 11/04/2025
       – Sat 12/04/2025
New Forest Real Ale Festival
Brockenhurst Football Club, Meadens Skoda Arena, Grigg Lane, Brockenhurst SO42 7RE
Cancelled - 'Unfortunately we have had to postpone our Real Ale Festival until a later date due to issues out of our control'. Four sessions, Friday 11:00 – 16:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Saturday 11:00 – 16:00 & 18:00. Tickets £10 for lunch sessions, £12 evening sessions – includes glass, programme and a drinks token. No on-line information yet but the website is www.brockenhurstfc.co.uk. This is not a CAMRA event nor 'endorsed' by CAMRA despite the claim on the publicity posters.
    Fri 11/04/2025
       – Sat 12/04/2025
Newbury Racecourse Beer Festival
The Racecourse, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7NZ
The opening of Newbury's flat racing season featuring the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials meeting and a Beer Festival. This is their 12th event with up to 30 real ales & ciders on offer. Any race day ticket get you in, from £18 in advance (by March 14th) on Friday & £23 Saturday, later advance and on gate prices somewhat higher. See newburyracecourse.co.uk/racing/event/dubai-duty-free-spring-trials-2025/dubai-duty-free-spring-trials-friday-2025
    Fri 11/04/2025
       – Sun 13/04/2025
Overton 'Firkins & Fizz' Beer Festival
St. Mary's Hall, High St, Overton RG25 3HA
A range of real ales from around the country along with some ciders and a bar dedicated to Prosecco. Music & food too. Four sessions 19:30 – 23:30 Friday, 11:30 – 15:30 & 19:30 – 23:30 Saturday; 12:00 – 15:00 Sunday. Tickets on sale from 1st March, £10 plus 50p on-line charges, or from Overton outlets. See www.overtonbeerfestival.co.uk for all details.
    Fri 18/04/2025
       – Sat 19/04/2025
Disruption is Brewing Spring Loaded Beerfest
Disruption is Brewing, Unit 4, Lawrence Way, Camberley, GU15 3DL
12:00 – 17:00 & 18:00 –23:00 both days. Tickets £10 per session or £45 including all beer. All details on www.disruptionisbrewing.co.uk/product-category/events
    Fri 18/04/2025
       – Sat 19/04/2025
Wareham Easter Beerex 2025
Wareham Masonic Hall, Howards Lane, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4HU
11:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 22:00 both days. Around 48 real ales & cider. Tickets £10 per session plus £1.55 fees on-line or from local outlets. More information from beerex.org.uk or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/WarehamEasterBeerex
    Fri 18/04/2025
       – Mon 21/04/2025
Barking Cat Easter Beer/Cider & Craft Beer Festival
Barking Cat Alehouse, 182-184 Ashley Road, Poole BH14 9BY
12:00 – 24:00 Friday & Saturday; 12:00 – 23:00 Sunday; 12:00 – 22:00 Monday. 24 casks, 12 ciders, 12 kegs and a promise that the beer will never run out. Free entrance. The pub's website is thebarkingcatalehouse.co.uk and they have a Facebook event www.facebook.com/events/644378931462046. Reasonably close to Branksome Station and well served by m1/m2 buses.
    Fri 18/04/2025
       – Mon 21/04/2025
Junction Tavern Easter Real Ale and Cider Festival
Junction Tavern, 1 Leesland Road, Gosport PO12 3ND
Usually about 15 beers on pumps and stillage with more in the cellar for back up. See www.junctiontaverngosport.co.uk/easter-ale-cider-festival for all details or you may find some information on their Facebook www.facebook.com/TheJunctionTavern
    Sat 26/04/2025 Beers in the Barn 2025
Manor Farm, Manor Road, Hayling Island PO11 0QW
24 craft beers from 6 breweries and a dedicated real ale and cider tent, plus live music and street food. Afternoon session 13:00 – 16:30, evening 17:00 – 22:30. Tickets from £30.75, including festival glass and some beer tokens. See bigblackshed.com/events/beers-in-the-barn-2025 for all details
    Sat 26/04/2025 Longdog Brewery
Unit 1A, Moniton Trading Estate, West Ham Lane, Basingstoke RG22 6NQ
Just the date. We've heard that something is happening but we can find no further details at the moment.
    Fri 02/05/2025
       – Sat 03/05/2025
Awakening 2025
St John's Church, Forton Road Gosport PO12 4TQ
Beer, cider, music and food. Three sessions: Friday 18:00 – 23:00; Saturday 12:00 – 17:00 and 18:00 – 23:00. Tickets £16.96 per session. See www.facebook.com/events/2330915443777816 for the Facebook Event page.
    Fri 02/05/2025
       – Mon 05/05/2025
Queen Inn, Winchester
28 Kingsgate Road, Winchester SO23 9PG
Bank Holiday Weekend Beer Festival. Expect 100+ Real ales & ciders, all day food and barbecue, live music on three evenings. See Facebook event at www.facebook.com/events/958086363193432. The pub's website is www.thequeeninnwinchester.com
    Sat 03/05/2025 Drop the Anchor 9th Anniversary Beer Festival
Building 9, East Close Farm, Lyndhurst Road, Hinton BH23 7EF
One day only, 14:00 – 21:30, £5 entrance. Usually 20+ hand crafted ales-ciders-gin bar, Live Music See www.droptheanchorbrewery.co.uk/comingsoon/9th-anniversary-beer-and-music-festival for all updates.
    Sat 03/05/2025 Vibrant Forest Brewery Spring Gathering 2025
Unit 3, The Purlieu Centre, Hardley Industrial Estate, Hardley, Hythe SO45 3AE
A Spring Gathering at the brewery from 12:00 to 20:00. There should be a full range of beers, including guests, and a food stand as well. Advance tickets only – £8. See www.vibrantforest.co.uk/events-old/2025/2/28/spring-gathering-2025 for details.
    Sat 03/05/2025
       – Sun 04/05/2025
19th Isle of Wight Steam Railway Beer Festival
The Railway Station, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight PO33 4DS
19th Real Ale Festival featuring beers from around the country and the Isle of Wight. Plus, there will be a range of hot and cold food available. Free admission (to beer festival, not trains) 11:00 – 19:00 Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 – 17:00 Monday. Extra steam trains running during the festival. See iwsteamrailway.co.uk/event/real-ale-festival
    Fri 09/05/2025
       – Sun 11/05/2025
Gala Diesel Weekend & Beer Festival
Corfe Castle Railway Station, Station Road, Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5EJ
We think this is similar to previous years at Corfe Castle station in a carriage on the cattle dock and with 30 to 40 Real Ales and Ciders on offer all from the Dorset area. There will also be hot food available on site throughout the day and evening. Ticket prices include a day rover on the railway, so quite pricey, from £39.50, though savings can usually be made by buying early or for more than one day. We are not sure about independent entry to the Beer Festival part. The locomotive details should appear at www.swanagerailway.co.uk/events/view/diesel-gala but not too much about the beer.
    Fri 16/05/2025
       – Sat 17/05/2025
21st Beacon Hill Beer Festival
Hindhead Royal British Legion Club, Beacon Hill Road, Beacon Hill, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6QB
Friday 14:00 – 24:00 and Saturday 12:00 – 24:00. Over 30 hand-crafted beers, lagers, and ciders, live music, food, gin tent etc. Keep an eye on www.hindheadrbl.co.uk/beer-festival to see if more details appear. Tickets £13.70 per day or £21.29 for the whole weekend, see www.eventbrite.com/e/beacon-hill-beer-festival-2025-tickets-1262902458249
    Sat 17/05/2025 Beer, Bricks and Buses
Brickworks Museum, Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, SO31 7HB
The 8th Bursledon Brickworks beer festival. 12:30 – 17:30. Over 20 real ales, ciders, hot and cold food, and live entertainment, plus some access to the museum. Tickets, advance only, went on sale on 1st March at 09:00 and SOLD OUT within hours - you may email the Brickworks Museum to get on a waiting list for returns. Card payment preferred for token purchase. The heritage bus service from Swanwick station is included. See thebrickworksmuseum.org/event/the-bricks-beer-and-buses-festival-2025 for all details or Facebook event www.facebook.com/events/1024274962805364.
    Fri 23/05/2025
       – Sat 24/05/2025
Beer Fest on the Green
Sarisbury Green Community Centre, The Green, Sarisbury Green, Southampton SO31 7AA
Friday 17:30 – 22:30 and Saturday 13:30 – 22:30. Tickets £18.53 Friday, £23.98 Saturday. Under 18s permitted on the Saturday but only up to 18:00. See www.ticketsource.co.uk/sgcc/beer-fest-on-the-green-2025/e-ygzpym for ticket sales. A Facebook event is at www.facebook.com/events/1274731263514277
    Fri 23/05/2025
       – Sun 25/05/2025
Waterloo Arms Beer Festival
101 Waterloo Road, Freemantle, Southampton, SO15 3BS
Beer festival with 18 cask ales and 6 ciders. !2 ales out the back plus 6 at the bar. Free entrance, 12:00 – 24:00 Friday & Saturday, 12:00 – 23:00 Sunday. The pub's website is www.hopback.co.uk/our-pubs/the-waterloo-arms but events do not get listed but it gets a mention on its Facebook www.facebook.com/181309161739054
    Fri 23/05/2025
       – Sun 25/05/2025
Delme Arms, Fareham
1 Cams Hill, Fareham PO16 8QY
Annual beer, cider and music festival. We have just the dates for now, this was last year's notice: 21 Ales, 35 Ciders, 9 Bands. Keep an eye on their website delmearms.co.uk/delme-arms-live-music-fareham and Facebook www.facebook.com/Thedelmearms
    Sat 24/05/2025 The Pour House Music Festival
The Pour House, 17-19 West Street, Ringwood BH24 1DY
Mainly a music festival, it seems, but some real ale will be on offer. No details on the website yet – www.thepourhouseringwood.co.uk/whats-on – but there is a Facebook event – www.facebook.com/events/652363334216143
    Fri 30/05/2025
       – Sat 31/05/2025
Alton Beer Festival
HSDC Alton, Old Odiham Road, Alton GU34 2LX
38th beer festival. Two sessions, Friday 19:00 – 23:00, and Saturday 11:00 – 18:00. Tickets on sale early March. See www.altonbeerfestival.org.uk for all details.
    Fri 13/06/2025
       – Sat 14/06/2025
Eastleigh Beer & Cider Festival 2025
Eastleigh Football Club, Silverlake Stadium, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh SO50 9HT
Friday 17:00 – 23:00 (£10.45), and Saturday 14:00 – 23:00 (£12.54). Bundle/group discounts available. Up to 50 cask ales, keg craft beer, various real ciders, and a selection of gin and prosecco. Live Music and Street Food. Over 18s only, no dogs (except guide/assistance dogs). See www.eastleighevents.co.uk/eastleighbeerandciderfestival for details and ticket purchase. There's also a Facebook page – www.facebook.com/102835339381447
    Fri 11/07/2025
       – Sat 12/07/2025
Shanty Town Beer & Music Festival
Staggeringly Good Brewery, Unit 10 St George's Ind Estate, Southsea PO4 8SS
Craft beer – keg & cask, live music, street food, artisan cider. Three sessions: Friday 18:00 – 23:00; Saturday 12:00 – 17:00 and 18:00 – 23:00. Tickets £17.84 per session. See www.staggeringlygood.com/event/shanty-town-2025-beer-music-festival for all details.
    Fri 25/07/2025 Horse & Groom Horsefest
Horse & Groom, High Street, Woodgreen SP6 2AS
Tentative date. No details on-line yet.
    Fri 01/08/2025
       – Sun 03/08/2025
New Forest Nondescripts Club Beer Festival
1 Church Lane, Lyndhurst SO43 7EW
Just the dates for now. This was last year's notice: Doors open 18:00 Friday, 12:00 Saturday & Sunday. 12 real ales, food, 5 live bands. Free entrance and open to non-members. See www.lyndhurstnondescripts.com/whats-on-1 for details. Their Facebook is www.facebook.com/nondies.lyndhurst
    Sat 02/08/2025 17th Fleet Lions Beer Festival
The Harlington, 236 Fleet Road, Fleet, Hants, GU51 4BY
Just the dates so far. This was last year's notice: The 17th Fleet Lions Beer Festival. Around 42 Real Ales + 10 Ciders (local & afar!) + hog roast, music etc. We have just the dates at the moment, keep an eye on their website www.fleetlions.org.uk/beerfest for more details. Note: You must bring your own glass with legal measure markings – ticket price has been reduced to reflect this.
   

If you know of any more non-CAMRA beer festivals in our branch area then please email the details to us.