By Tim Savchenko
Chester Town Hall played host to this year’s Chester Beer Festival on 5 and 6 June 2026, an annual event organised by CAMRA — the Campaign for Real Ale — bringing together real ale enthusiasts from across Cheshire and the wider region.
Chester Beer Festival
Click above for an audio interview with Brian Vardy, Chester Beer Festival organiser, on CAMRA and its legacy.
CAMRA is a independent consumer organisation founded in 1971 in response to the rapid decline of traditional British cask ale, which was being pushed out by mass-produced keg beer from large commercial breweries. Today it is one of the largest consumer organisations in the UK, with over 150,000 members, and advocates for the preservation of real ale, cider, and traditional pub culture. Chester Beer Festival is one of over 100 festivals CAMRA organises across the country each year.
More than 36 cask ales
This year’s event featured more than three dozen cask ales sourced from breweries across the region, including offerings from RedWillow, Turning Point, Spitting Feathers, and Sandstone, among others. Beers ranged from light session ales to stronger porters, with prices starting at £2.75 a half pint. A dedicated Chester Cider Club stand also provided an alternative for those who prefer cider.
The festival was entirely run by CAMRA volunteers, who managed the bar, maintained the polypin casks, and guided visitors through the selection on offer. Attendees were also invited to join CAMRA on the day, with membership offering free entry to festivals across the country.
The event took place across several rooms of Chester Town Hall, with the main hall serving as the primary gathering space for visitors.
https://westcheshire.camra.org.uk/beerfestival
‘It’s all about people’: An audio interview with Dale Lord of Chester bar ‘That Beer Place’ on the importance of cider, events like this and beer culture more generally.
