Venues in Southport town centre will be brewing up a storm again for Southport Beer Week, which returns for its second year from 20–25 May.
The beer festival celebrates Southport’s pubs and bars, featuring a dedicated ale trail alongside a packed programme of events designed to showcase the local hospitality scene.
Seventeen local favourites are taking part this year, including Sinclair’s, Tap and Bottles, The Guesthouse, Masons Arms, and new bar The Bugle Tap.
It is the perfect excuse for real ale fans and pub lovers to head to Southport over the bank holiday weekend to take on the town centre ale trail.
Participants can visit a selection of the venues, try interesting beers, and collect stamps in their Beer Week booklet as they go.
Those who collect seven stamps will be in with a chance of winning a £250 voucher, which can be spent at a Southport business of their choice, with runner-up prizes including limited edition Southport Beer Week t-shirts also available.
Tap Takeovers and Meet the Brewer Events
Alongside the ale trail, there are plenty of events and activities to enjoy throughout the festival.
Craft beer bar Tap & Bottles is hosting Rivington Brewery for a meet-the-brewer style event, as well as a Polish beer tap takeover and a traditional pub games competition.
Several venues are focusing on specific breweries for ‘real ale takeovers’, featuring prominent producers such as Saltaire, Moorhouse’s, Wigan Brewhouse, and Lancaster Brewery.
For those looking for a more active experience, a 5km pub run, open to runners of all levels, will take place on Saturday between Tap and Bottles and The Windmill, with social drinks scheduled for afterwards.
Local Awards and Historic Pub Tours
The community is also invited to The Guesthouse on Thursday, 21 May for the presentation of their ‘Pub Of The Year Award’ from the Southport and West Lancs CAMRA branch, followed by a beer-themed pub quiz.
Additionally, history enthusiasts can join The Lost Beerhouses & Old Pubs of Southport Guided Walk, a guided pub history tour that proved highly popular at last year’s festival.
Pre-booking for this tour is required and you can do so here.
Live music will feature throughout the week at venues such as Kokomo and Punch Tarmey’s, while The Grazing Lounge will once again be serving up speciality pies made with Southport Brewery beer.
For further information you can check out the official website here.
