Shrewsbury Beer Festival pours back into town for 33rd round with special cheers for a local hospice
One of Shrewsbury’s most beloved events is making a triumphant return this week, as the CAMRA Beer Festival pours back into town.
The festival, organised by the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), will once again transform the historic St Mary’s Church into a vibrant celebration of beer, cider, and local breweries.
The venue’s stunning stained-glass windows, carved wooden ceilings and intricate tiled floor offers a unique backdrop for what is the 33rd event of its kind.
Running between Wednesday and Saturday, this year's event will showcase around 100 real ales, many sourced from Shropshire and surrounding regions, alongside a wide range of ciders and perries.
Returning as main sponsor, Salopian Brewery will run their own dedicated bar, offering up to six exclusive cask ales brewed specially for the occasion.
Festival organiser Dave Ricketts, who has been running the event for a decade, says the festival prides itself on offering something new for beer lovers each year.
"We specialise in brand new beers that haven't been seen anywhere else in Shropshire," he said. "We expect we will have 250 people in by 2pm on the opening day.
"The atmosphere is always great. We have got the grand opening at 11am with the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Shropshire Councillors here to open it for us."
This year, the festival will also introduce a live beer list on its website - a real-time, searchable guide to all beers available and their current status, helping visitors plan their perfect tasting experience.
As well as bringing together beer enthusiasts from across the UK, the festival is also giving back. A tombola stall run by Dave’s partner, Rebecca Ransley, will raise funds for Severn Hospice, a cause close to her heart.
"We are looking forward to the event," Rebecca said. "Half of the proceeds from the tombola will be going to Severn Hospice in memory of my mum who passed away last March.
"She spent the last week of her life at Severn Hospice and before she passed away she had run the tombola store for many years. So we are raising funds for the hospice through the tombola.
"We have a lot of people who regularly come to beer festivals from all over the country. We try to get new breweries and beers that have never been seen before. So we get a lot of people from further afield who stay over and attend a few days of the festival over a few days which helps boost the local economy."
The 33rd Shrewsbury CAMRA Beer Festival will run from Wednesday (September 24) to Saturday (September 27). Opening hours are from 11am to 10.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 11am to 9pm on Saturday, or until the beer runs out.
Entry for non-CAMRA members is priced at £13, which includes a £3 entrance fee, a refundable souvenir glass deposit, nine beer tokens worth £6.75 (enough for three half pints), and a festival programme.
CAMRA members pay a reduced price of £10, which includes free entry, a refundable glass deposit, nine beer tokens totalling £6.75, and a programme.
