Take a punt on a pint at 10th Stafford beer festival
Hundreds of punters have already raised a glass to mark the 10th anniversary of Stafford Beer Festival - and it isn't too late to join them.
The annual beer and cider festival has become a fixture in the town over the last decade thanks to volunteers, organisers and of course, a fine selection of beverages.
The party has been in full swing since Thursday but continues to run today and tomorrow at the Blessed William Howard High School, Rowley Avenue.
Aside from the eclectic mix of more than 70 drinks for connoisseurs, the festival features live music, with artists such as the Blackwell Concert Band and Alexandra Jayne entertaining crowds this year.
Organiser Paul Hewitt thanked the volunteers who help make the event a success as his first year in charge of the festival got underway.
He said: "This is my first time in the role of festival organiser and I have had an excellent team of volunteers working behind the scenes to make this the best yet.
"Thank you to everyone who has helped or volunteered over the last ten years, it’s certainly a great achievement for Heart of Staffordshire CAMRA to be celebrating our tenth festival.
"This year we have seventy beers available at the festival.
"We have worked really hard to produce a fantastic choice of beers and we have thirty ciders plus a range of country wines and bottled beers.
"We have chosen two charities this year, the Stafford and Rugeley branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Stafford's own House of Bread.
"Both very worthy causes which will benefit from your unspent beer tokens."
Neil Butler, chair of the heart of Staffordshire CAMRA, said the festival had developed and grew over the years after being held at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre for its first two incarnations.
He said: "Things have changed and developed, hopefully for the better, from the first two festivals held in a very hot and sweaty Gatehouse Theatre.
"This is festival number eight at Blessed William Howard High School, where the gymnasium gives plenty of room and a blank canvas for configuring the layout just how we want.
"Planning and setting up the festival takes a lot of time and patience, as we have to start thinking about next year almost as soon as this festival is over."
