Event Planner

 

All are welcome to the 18th Stratford-Upon-Avon Beer and Cider Festival at Stratford Racecourse. With 40 + beers and 20 ciders  from across the country you’ll be sure to find something to tingle those taste buds.

Advanced tickets – Members £14 – Non-Members £17, On the day – Members £16 – Non-Members £19

all entrance packages include: £10 beer & cider tokens, non-refundable glass and programme (CAMRA Members will need to show valid on entry when presenting or buying a member ticket)

Open: Friday 5th June Midday to 10pm Saturday 6th June 11am to 10pm Tickets now live: https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/513/stratford-upon-avon-18th-beer-cider-festival

Saturday afternoon we have The Lockdown Layabouts back by popular demand! Well behaved children and dogs welcome | Designated drivers’ free entry and soft drink. Food vendors available at all sessions

Beers and ciders have been chosen from near and far. Currently, some of the “highlights” are Black Ice from Titanic brewery, Beartown Crème Bearlee, along with the Hung, Drawn and Double Port from the excellent local brewery, North Cotswolds, which has four bottles of Port added to each cask of beer. A full list should soon appear on our Facebook pages.

https://www.stratfordbeerfestival.org.uk/  https://www.facebook.com/SoABeerFest

A provisional list can be found here.

Travelling to and staying at the Racecourse.

By Road: Stratford on Avon Racecourse is situated on the B439 Evesham Road, close to the banks of the River Avon, and approximately one mile from the town centre of Stratford upon Avon. The racecourse is approx. 15 mins from Junction 15 of the M40, and 40 mins from Junction 7 of the M5. When you enter Stratford-on-Avon, follow the brown signs for the racecourse and/or brown signs with a racehorse symbol on.

By Rail: The racecourse is around a 20-minute walk from Stratford-on-Avon train station. Stratford-on-Avon train station is well served by trains from most destinations via Birmingham Moor Street. There is a Taxi rank at the station.

Parking: Free parking is available at both ends of the racecourse. The main car park is located on a large grassy field, with a short walk to the main entrance. Entry and exit to the car park are both easy and straightforward.

Camping spaces are currently available. With it being a commercial site with full toilet and showering facilities, all camping is handled by Stratford Touring Site, not the Beer Festival, so please can you contact them directly. https://www.stratfordtouringpark.com/

If you are thinking of organising a mini bus then please let us know as we can offer an entrance package to the main organiser which would include the ten pounds of beer / cider tokens included.

The North Cotswold Branch of CAMRA in conjunction with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway are holding their 24th Ale and Steam Weekend at Winchcombe and Toddington Stations from Friday 12th June until Sunday 14th June 2026

We will again be splitting the beer sales between Winchcombe and Toddington Stations.

On Friday 12h June, the bars on both stations will be open from 12:00 noon until 19:00

On Saturday 13th June the bars will be open from 10:30am until 18:00.

On Sunday 14th June, both bars will be open from 11:00 until 15:00. Opening on Sunday will be subject to beer availability.

The total number of Beers will be about 50, made up from 30 at Winchcombe and 20 at Toddington. The beer theme this year will be London & home counties. 12 different Ciders/Perry will also be available, split between the two stations. A few more beers will be held in reserve. Also Hot & Cold Food with Soft Drinks

Train Times & Entry

A ticket for travel or a platform ticket costing £5, valid on the day, is required for entry to the event. You will then need to buy a standard souvenir glass for an additional £2. You will also need to purchase a Beer Token Card(s) for the value of £10. (No cash sales at the bar).

Hence a complete normal bar package costs £12.

You only need to buy a bar package once, which you can use at either bar. Extra token cards can be purchased as required. Unused tokens can either be donated to charity, or cashed in, during festival opening times only. Similarly, glasses can be returned; a refund of £1 will be given.

For train times see GWR site.

For information on train times please visit http://www.gwsr.com

Limited Car Parking

Please note that parking at Winchcombe is very limited and it is more fun travelling there by train. (Ample parking available at Cheltenham Race Course and at Toddington Station)

Volunteers

If you would like to help at this event, please click here for a helpers form. Please print this, fill it in by hand, and scan it. Then please forward the completed scanned form as an attachment to our Festival Director Alan McLellan – alan.mclellan1@btinternet.com

Further Information

Please email Alan McLellan

www.northcotswoldcamra.org.uk/Steam_2026.htm

The 16th annual Wheel Ale festival returns to Cheltenham Motor Club on Saturday 20th June 2026.

Non members are welcome.

On 3rd July the ale amblers head to Warwick.

Our first pub will be The Wild Boar, down the road at the back of the station, which opens at 12.00.

After a brief stop we will catch a bus outside the Wild Boar in the direction of the Cape of Good Hope(bring bus passes). Posh Sarnies can be purchased there. We will then catch another bus to the town centre where, hopefully, we will have time to visit the Four Penny Pub, the Old Post Office, the Dough & Brew, the Eagle, the Craftsman Bar and the New Bowling Green.

Most places sell food, some on the pricey side, but none appear to sell the ever popular cobs! Therefore, you may wish to bring your own. Alternatively, there is a Greggs and a Wetherspoons in the Town Centre.

The details of the proposed trains are:

OUT: depart Cheltenham Spa 09.59, arrive Birmingham New Street 10.45
Walk to Birmingham Moor Street and catch 11.15, arrive Warwick 11.47

IN: depart Warwick 18.36, arrive Birmingham Moor Street 19.04
Walk to Birmingham New Street and catch 19.30, arrive Cheltenham Spa 20.14

Best fare with railcard (unless you can do better) is to buy an Anytime Day Return from Cheltenham Spa to Worcestershire Parkway £7.15 and an Off Peak Day Return from Worcestershire Parkway to Warwick £11.70.
Total £18.85 (trains must stop at Worcestershire Parkway – the above do)

If you want greater flexibility an Off Peak Day Return from Cheltenham Spa to Warwick costs £24.70

BADRAG, the CAMRA Bristol and District Rare Ales Group, have a Kingsdown (Bristol) Pub Walk on Saturday, 11th July.

This will be a lunchtime/afternoon pub walk. Starting point is now confirmed as starting at the Highbury Vaults at 1pm. https://camra.org.uk/pubs/highbury-vaults-bristol-113999

As a reminder, the 72 bus goes from Temple Meads railway station – but it’s only one an hour.  

Cheltenham members welcome!!

The 48th Cotswold Beer Festival returns from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th July 2026 and we can’t wait to welcome you back.

Expect a carefully curated range of 110+ (as always!) cask ales, following last year’s early sell out we will be doubling up on some popular beers and only opening the second cask on Saturday afternoon, alongside 45 ciders and perries.

It all takes place in the unique surroundings of Postlip Hall and it’s Tithe barn

Food-wise, we keep things simple and well done: wood-fired pizza across the weekend, SriLicious bringing bold flavours on Saturday, and the much-loved Postlip Burger BBQ back once again.

We’re still fine-tuning the live music and finalising the full beer and cider lists, but tickets are now on sale. More details to follow – but in the meantime, tell everyone(!) to get it in the diary.

Sessions Times

Friday 17th July – 6pm-11pm.
Saturday 18th July – 12pm-9pm.
Sunday 19th July – 12pm to 3pm (Subject to beer and cider remaining)

Book before the Early May Bank Holiday for a discount. New this year: All entry tickets now include £5 in beer tokens( to speed up getting your first pint), along with a souvenir pint glass and festival programme.

BUY TICKETS – https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/515/cotswold-beer-festival-2026

Volunteers Needed

The festival wouldn’t happen without our brilliant volunteers, and we’re always on the lookout for new people. Volunteers get:-

• Free entry for the whole weekend
• Free festival t-shirt and pint glass
• Some free beer and a free burger from the BBQ for Friday night’s volunteers
• Some free beer and a buffet lunch on Saturday in Postlip Hall

You can volunteer by completing the form here:-
https://forms.gle/vsWp6pcdjpCh5LT98

19^th Moreton In Marsh Beer Festival 11^th to 12^th September 2026

More details to follow