Beer Festivals Near Alnwick

Northumberland is home to a growing number of beer festivals, and Alnwick itself plays host to one of the best. Whether you are a real ale enthusiast, a casual drinker, or someone who simply enjoys a good day out, there are several events worth putting in the diary each year.

Alnwick Beer Festival

The Alnwick Beer Festival is organised by the Alnwick and District Round Table and takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, running alongside the broader Alnwick Town Festival. The beer tent is set up in the town centre and typically features over 30 real ales, ciders, wines, spirits, and soft drinks, with proceeds going to charitable causes -- in recent years the RNLI has been a major beneficiary.

The beers are sourced from both local Northumberland breweries and national producers, giving you a good mix of styles and strengths. The festival has grown steadily over the years and is now one of the highlights of the Alnwick events calendar. Food stalls and live music accompany the drinking, and the atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly during the daytime.

Best for: The beer tent typically opens from Friday through to Sunday of the bank holiday weekend. Arrive early on Saturday for the best selection.

Alnwick International Music Festival

The Alnwick International Music Festival runs for eight days in late July and early August, bringing folk dancers and musicians from around the world to perform in the town centre. While it is primarily a music and dance festival, the event has a festive atmosphere that spills into the town's pubs, and the timing means it often overlaps with or leads into the bank holiday beer festival.

The pubs along Bondgate Within and Narrowgate are particularly busy during festival week, and several put on extended opening hours and additional real ale selections. If you want to combine live folk music with good beer, this is the week to do it.

Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival

The Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival is the flagship event of the Tyneside and Northumberland CAMRA branch and is one of the largest beer festivals in the North East. The 2026 edition was held in April at Northumbria Students Union, featuring over 70 beers, 30 ciders, and a selection of other drinks.

Newcastle is around 35 miles south of Alnwick, roughly 45 minutes by car or a straightforward train journey from Alnmouth station. The festival is well worth the trip, particularly if you want to try a wider range of breweries than you would find at a smaller local event.

Best for: Alnmouth station is about four miles from Alnwick town centre. Trains to Newcastle Central take around 30 minutes.

Alnwick Town Festival

The Alnwick Town Festival over the August bank holiday weekend is the umbrella event that includes the beer festival, but it deserves a mention in its own right. The festival takes over Bondgate Within and the Market Place with street food, live music, artisan stalls, and family entertainment. The beer tent sits at the heart of it, but the broader event provides a full day out even if you are not solely focused on the ale.

Mighty Dub Fest

Mighty Dub Fest takes place at Alnwick Castle Pastures in June and is primarily a music festival, but it includes a well-stocked bar with craft beers and local ales. The three-day event features reggae, dub, and world music across multiple stages, and the relaxed, festival-camping atmosphere makes it a good option if you want something different from a traditional beer festival.

Planning your visits

The beer festival calendar near Alnwick clusters heavily around the summer months, with the biggest events falling between June and August. If you can only make one, the Alnwick Beer Festival over the bank holiday weekend is the obvious choice -- it is local, it is well run, and the charitable element means your money goes to a good cause. For a bigger day out, the Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival offers a much wider selection and a proper CAMRA-organised experience.

Alnwick's own pubs are worth visiting year-round, of course. The John Bull Inn, The Tanners Arms, and The Dirty Bottles all serve excellent real ales and provide a taste of the local brewing scene without waiting for festival season.