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Peterborough Beer Festival 2015 – a Magna-ificent party!

One of Peterborough’s most popular festivals is back: the CAMRA Beer Festival, from Tuesday, 25 – Saturday, 29 August

The theme of this year’s logo is the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta, which is being celebrated by events across the country: beer drinkers should all raise a glass to this important historic charter as Clause 35 declared:

“Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn…”

Held in three huge marquees on the River Nene Embankment, the Peterborough Beer Festival proudly displays one of the largest selections of real ale anywhere in the country. Last year over 420 different cask beers were on sale from over 170 brewers. A huge range of foreign bottled beers, and UK produced wine, cider and perries are also available and as always the Escape Bar provides the soft drinks.

Organisers are currently in the process of selecting and sourcing all the beer for the festival and a provisional list will be posted on the Peterborough CAMRA website from July onwards. This will include a number of festival specials that are brewed specifically for the Peterborough festival. An exclusive collaboration ale with a well-known brewer and Peterborough CAMRA will also feature at this year’s festival – details are still top secret! Previous years have seen beers brewed in conjunction with Hand Drawn Monkey (Huddersfield), Bexar County (Peterborough), Hopshackle of Market Deeping and Brewsters of Grantham.

The popular ‘Singles’ bar is back in 2015 – the bar where only one cask of a particular brew is available. Bottled beer, cider and wine each have their own separate bar and are staffed by volunteers who have specific knowledge of these products and can answer questions about styles and tastes.

Live music
As always live music features every day at the Peterborough Beer Festival, including The Palmerston Ukulele Band, The Stringlers and The Expletives. You can see a full list of bands and times on stage below.

The event lasts from Tuesday through till Saturday, and prices are Tuesday, 5.30-11pm £5; Wednesday to Saturday, noon-3pm £2; Wednesday, 3-11pm £3; Thursday to Saturday, 3-11pm £6. CAMRA/ECBU members: Tuesday £3; Wednesday to Saturday before 3pm £1; after 3pm £3. Pass outs are available after 5pm.

Get involved
Each year the Festival offers sponsorship opportunities for you to promote your business at the festival and these start at only £100. If you would like to know more please contact our sponsorship manager Kevin Fordham on 07933 397767 or send an email to

For up to date information on all aspects of the Festival including beer lists, prices, advance programmes and much more, visit www.real-ale.org.uk. You can also follow the Festival on Twitter @BoroBeerFest and visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PeterboroughBeerFestival where you can leave your comments and also receive information on the latest news.

Bands/times
Tuesday, 25 August
– 7pm, Open Mic Night with Stacey
If you are interested in performing, please contact Stacey at

Wednesday, 26 August – 8pm, Grumpy Old Men
1960s to present day rock and pop, from a group of musicians who still like to behave like teenagers.

Thursday, 27 August – 7.30pm, The Stringlers
Chart-topping tunes from a string quartet who have a passion for music from just about every genre.

9.15pm The Expletives
Exciting punk / new-wave covers delivered with ‘energy, fire and skill’.

Friday, 28 August – 4pm, Palmerston Ukulele Band
Not just the house band at the Palmy anymore, the PUB, as they are affectionately known, are now in demand everywhere they go since their first gig at PBF two years ago!

7.30pm Dizzie Miss Lizzys
Led by Peterborough’s own guitar virtuoso Gizz Butt, this top class rock ‘n’ roll outfit will get everyone on their feet singing and dancing along. Fact.

9.15pm The Activators
On the back of playing numerous European gigs and festivals, this 10-piece rock/ska/reggae/world music band are ready to entertain you.

Saturday, 29 August – 2pm Doug Heath
Soulful lyrics and intricate guitar playing from this local singer-songwriter.

3pm Lartey Sisters
Beautiful songs crafted by two siblings who have recently been in the studio with that well-known Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley.

4pm Nick Corney and the Buzz Rats
Let Nick and the band take your ears on a musical rollercoaster as they play out original songs from their impressive set.

5pm Lone Groover
One man and his guitar. Add in folk, punk and Americana and you have classic songs of beauty, protest and passion.

7.30 pm Tin Pigeons
Last year this indie folk band absolutely conquered the stage at PBF. This year they are back even bigger and better. Not bad for four lads who only started the band at school four years ago!

9pm The Replicas
After a two-and-a-half year break, this much-loved band are back on the live scene. Taking in ska/punk/indie/northern soul, the Replicas are a band for everyone and not to be missed.

CAMRA Peterborough Beer Festival
25 – 29 August, The Embankment, Embankment Road, Peterborough

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