Southport Beer & Folk Festival

Southport's Atkinson and the Liverpool Organic Brewery have teamed up to present a beer and folk music festival next month in Southport. Liverpool Organic Brewery have a record of running beer festivals in unusual venues, such as the old Christ Church in Waterloo, and in Liverpool at the famous bombed out church, the old Cain's brewery and St George's Hall. Now it is the turn of Pleasureland in Southport.

The festival will offer more than 200 real ales, ciders, perries, continental bottled beers, wines and Liverpool Gin, plus local food. Each session will feature live music from various folk and Americana acts:

• Kaia Kater (Friday afternoon).
• Flats & Sharps (Friday evening).
• The Elephant Sessions (Saturday afternoon). 
• Elbow Jane (Saturday evening).
• The Wilsons plus Treacherous Orchestra (Sunday afternoon). 

If you're coming some distance, camping for campervans only is available at £10 per night. For more information and to buy your tickets on-line, click here. Tickets cover admission to the beer festival and live music for the session purchased.

The organisers are calling for volunteers. There will be five sessions, and you can volunteer for whichever one (or ones) you prefer. You will be required to work on the real ale bars and possibly do some stewarding. In return you will receive: 

• Free festival t-shirt. 
• Free souvenir half pint festival glass. 
• Discounted food from the festival vendors. 
• Free entertainment during the session you work. 
• Most importantly, free cask beer and cider. 

You will be able to enjoy the real ales and ciders while you work and also in the break following the session. To find out more about volunteering, click here.

The festival will run from 11.30 on Friday 15 July to 19:00 on Sunday 17 July at Southport Pleasureland, Marine Drive, Southport, PR8 1RX.