Beer festival will help build community hall

St Margaret’s Parish Church Swinton hosts the festival, which begins on Thursday, and promises an unforgettable event filled with cask and craft beers, cider, low/no alcohol drinks and Fr Chris’ gin and wine bar.

The festival will feature local and regional breweries showcasing a variety of craft beers, from hoppy IPAs and smooth stouts to refreshing lagers and unique seasonal brews. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a wide range of flavours and discover new favourites.

There will be more than 20 cask-conditioned beers to choose from and proceeds from the festival will go towards the cost of building a new Community Hall in the field next to the church.

There will also be a small street food festival n Thursday and Friday next to the church, and entertainment from local musicians and bands.

On Saturday the Swinton Town Fair will be held in the church field with 40-plus craft stalls, dance groups, more live music, a DJ, kids’ rides and a dog show.

Rev Fr Chris Barley, vicar of Swinton at St Margaret’s Parish Church, said: “We are incredibly excited to host this festival and bring our community together at St Margaret’s.

“This event is not just about enjoying great drinks; it’s about making a difference in the lives of those in need and when built the Community Hall will be for the whole of Swinton.”

Organiser Andrew Rodbourne said: “We’re delighted to launch the first ever beer festival in Swinton and supporting St Margaret’s Parish Church as they fundraise to build the Community Hall it so desperately needs.

“Drinkers can enjoy plenty of beers, ciders and other tipples including one made especially for us by Nailmaker Brewing in Mapplewell, Barnsley, called Ale Mary, a slight gin inspired reinterpretation of one of their staple beers that cannot be found anywhere else.

The festival begins at the church in Church Street, Swinton, S64 8EG, on Thursday and is open from 2pm to sponsors, guests, Campaign for Real Ale Members and representatives of the hospitality industry. It is open to the general public from 5pm and closes at 10pm. On Friday it is open between 11.30am and 4.30pm and 5 to 10, and on Saturday from noon until 6pm.