North England Beer Festivals 2026

Discover the vibrant craft beer scene across Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Yorkshire. From historic city centre celebrations to intimate taproom events, The North of England offers unforgettable beer festival experiences.

Festivals
36
Breweries
346
Cities
6

The North's thriving beer festival scene

The North of England runs one of Britain's busiest festival calendars, and the character shifts as you cross it. Yorkshire keeps the cask tradition strong with long-running real ale festivals, while Manchester and Leeds pour modern craft events full of hazy keg and barrel-aged beer. Wherever you are, a festival is rarely far away.

The calendar fills out across the year. Summer brings the big city-centre and outdoor festivals, autumn is peak season for the traditional cask events, and winter taproom takeovers keep things going when the nights draw in. Most pour a wide spread, from hand-pulled bitter and mild to fruited sours and imperial stout, usually alongside cider, street food and a bit of live music.

The scene clusters around the cities. Manchester and Leeds anchor the modern craft side, Sheffield and York are strongholds of real ale, and Liverpool and Newcastle bring their own energy. Each has its own circuit of festivals, so it is worth picking a city and building a weekend around it.

The common thread is a lack of fuss. These are events run by people who care about the beer, where you can drink something rare and something traditional in the same session. To see the breweries behind it all, head to our North England breweries guide, then find dates in the listings below.

Manchester Town Hall clock tower and ferris wheel in city centre hosting major beer festivals
Contemporary street art in Leeds city centre near craft beer quarter
Iconic Liverpool waterfront near venues hosting maritime city beer festivals
Newcastle and Gateshead riverside with iconic bridges, heart of North East beer scene

Upcoming Beer Festivals in North England

Oktoberfest at Spark festival details

Happening now

Oktoberfest at Spark

Thu 1 - Sun 4 October 2026

SPARK:York, York

Get ready for an evening of live oompah music, German-inspired eats, and an unmatched selection of the finest German & Belgian beers. Join us at PicTap on Thursday, October 1st for the official cask-tapping! At Canvas event 003, indulge in locally made bratwurst with pretzels and beer cheese dip by Goldee’s Bagels, or dig into rich beer cheese mac ‘n’ cheese. Come in fancy dress for a free stein of beer! Dust off your lederhosen and bring the energy! The live party is exclusively Thursday night, but the special beers and pop-up menu will be available all weekend long.

STOCKTOBERFEST festival details

Happening now

STOCKTOBERFEST

Thu 1 - Sun 4 October 2026

The Runaway Brewery & Taproom, Stockport

STOCKTOBERFEST - our annual celebration of European inspired beer AND Stockport Indie Beer Culture is back for 2026 & promises to be as Wunderbar as ever! A little later than normal so pop the new dates in your calendar... Thursday 1st - Sunday 4th October More details to follow towards the end of the month - but suffice to say it'll involve freshly baked pretzels - colourful syrups - party keg specials AND loads of lagery goodness! As ever we'll be ably supported by the wunderkinder of Honest Crust at The Runaway Brewery AND also be collaborating with some of Stockport's finest to bring you an amazing beer list, fabulous food, all the schlager hits AND MORE! As ever the event is free entry with no tickets required & no reservations - so space & tables available on a first come, first served basis.

Worsbrough Beer Festival festival details

Happening now

Worsbrough Beer Festival

Fri 2 - Sun 4 October 2026

Worsbrough Sports and Development Association, Barnsley

Annual Beer Festival at Worsbrough. LIVE music, Best Beers from the County 🍺 Pay on the door or pre order tickets using the QR code 🤩 In aid of Barnsley Hospice and other Rotary charities.

Glusburn and Crosshills Beer & Gin Festival festival details

Happening now

Glusburn and Crosshills Beer & Gin Festival

Fri 2 - Sat 3 October 2026

Glusburn Institute Community and Arts Centre, Keighley

🍻🎶 COMMUNITY SUPPORTING COMMUNITY! 🎶🍻 We’re always happy to give a shout-out to our friends at Glusburn Institute - Community and Arts Centre, who have supported Glistenbury in so many ways over the years. ❤️ So if you’re wondering what’s next for a great local night out… get this one in the diary, and get it booked, because it’s just around the corner! 🙌 And it’s not just about the beer and gin… there’s an AMAZING weekend of live music lined up too! 🎶🔥 Across the two days, there’s loads of fantastic live entertainment to enjoy, including some faces that Glistenbury regulars will know VERY well… 🔥 Glistenbury 2026 headliners Night Patrol will be taking to the stage🔥 If you were amongst the hundreds dancing along to them at Glistenbury this summer, you’ll know exactly why you won’t want to miss them! ❤️🎸🎶 Add in loads more live music across the weekend, a fantastic selection of beers and gins and what will be a brilliant atmosphere, and there’s every reason to make a weekend of it. 🍻🥂 It’s another great local event run by people who put a huge amount into our community, and you’ll probably recognise plenty of faces there too! So come along, enjoy a few drinks, enjoy some brilliant live music and support another fantastic local event. ❤️🙌

Hutton Rudby Beer Festival festival details

Happening now

Hutton Rudby Beer Festival

Fri 2 - Sun 4 October 2026

Hutton Rudby Village Hall, Hutton Rudby

Three Brothers Brewing Company are really excited to launch our debut Hutton Rudby Beer Festival! Think beers and lagers galore, ciders, spirits, cocktails, wine, prosecco and more! Topped off with live music each night and street food too! We will have gluten free and vegan options and all each ticket includes £5 credit to use at the bar off any drinks. Your ticket also includes your festival cup, your brochure and a donation to the legends at Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Addingham Beer Festival festival details

Happening now

Addingham Beer Festival

Fri 2 - Sat 3 October 2026

Addingham Memorial Hall, Ilkley

We would like to wish all our sponsors, guests, suppliers, supporters and helpers a warm welcome from all at Addingham Beer Festival! You are the ones that make this event possible, so thank you. ​Our beer is sourced from local breweries including Saltaire and Ilkley. However, there are also many from farther afield. ​​​In addition and in keeping with our mission statement (“Beer and a whole lot more”), we also have a dedicated gin bar where you can try a range of fabulous gins as well as the best prosecco we have ever tasted! Delicious food from local suppliers is also available throughout the festival. ​​ On Saturday night featured live music. For those of you that like to engage your brain whilst sipping your beverages, we have a pub quiz during the Saturday afternoon session. Since 2011, Addingham Beer Festival has raised over £90,000 for local and worthy causes. Following the success of last year’s festival, we gave funds to 17 different groups and organisations. Further details are given in the programme.

Great Ouseburn Beer Festival festival details

This weekend

Great Ouseburn Beer Festival

Sat 3 October 2026

Great Ouseburn Village Hall, York

Join us for another brilliant day in Great Ouseburn, bringing together top beers, tasty food, live music and a friendly village atmosphere, plus a fun nod to Oktoberfest with themed specials, steins, and a chance to dust off the Lederhosen or Dirndl.

Craft Brew Festival Presents: Oktoberfest festival details

This weekend

Craft Brew Festival Presents: Oktoberfest

Sat 3 October 2026

Lancaster Town Hall, Lancaster

🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪 Craft Brew Festival invites you to dust off your finest lederhosen and dirndls as we go full continental for an unforgettable Oktoberfest celebration. Bringing the spirit of Munich right to your doorstep, expect crisp German pilsners, rich lagers, and festival biers for an unrivalled bottomless Bavarian experience like no other! This isn’t like any other Oktoberfest - it’s five hours of full-throttle, all-in, party-mode madness with bottomless beer, cider, wine, non-alcoholic drinks and prosecco. No faff. No overpriced drink tokens. Just pure, unfiltered Bavarian fun. 🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪 🥨 🍺 🇩🇪

Ulleskelf Beer Festival festival details

This weekend

Ulleskelf Beer Festival

Sat 3 October 2026

Ulleskelf Village Hall, Tadcaster

A selection of local craft ales, ciders, wine, prosecco, lager, and soft drinks.

The Bluecoat OctoBEERfest festival details

Free entry

The Bluecoat OctoBEERfest

Wed 7 - Sun 18 October 2026

The Crofts, Rotherham

THE AUTUMN BEER FESTIVAL IS BACK… AND WE’RE DOING THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY! Our Autumn Beer Festival launches Wednesday 7th October — and this year, we’ve got a very exciting surprise… THE TEMPORARY ALE BAR IS COMING BACK! Instead of having just 7 beers available at a time, ALL 30 FESTIVAL BEERS WILL BE ON SALE AT ONCE! No waiting for the next rotation. No wondering what you’ve missed. Just 30 beers ready and waiting for you to explore! 30 BEERS | 5 INTERNATIONAL BREWERS | 1 EPIC FESTIVAL This year’s festival features brewers from: � China � Denmark � Singapore � Ukraine � USA And making festival history, we’ll be featuring our first-ever brewers from Singapore and Ukraine! � There’s something for everyone, too, with gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian beers included in the selection. Check the allergen screen located on the bottom level of the pub if you are unsure. PRE-PLAN YOUR TASTING ADVENTURE... Our festival news will be available onsite for you to browse through the beers on offer. Once the beers have been delivered, the full selection will also be available on our app. And to make your tasting adventure even more fun… each ale is numbered 1–30, and the back of our beer mats gives you space to write down which beers you’ve tried! �� Whether you’re a seasoned ale enthusiast or just fancy discovering something new, there’s never been a better excuse to work your way through the list. � Wednesday 7th October – Sunday 18th October � All 30 beers available at once � International brewers � Keep track of your tasting journey Tag your beer buddy, grab a mat and get ready to taste your way through the festival!

Liverpool Cricket Club Beer Festival festival details

Recently added

Liverpool Cricket Club Beer Festival

Thu 8 - Sat 10 October 2026

Liverpool Cricket Club, Liverpool

Join us for three days of fantastic drinks, live music and a brilliant atmosphere here at Liverpool Cricket Club. This year’s festival will feature: 🍺 Up to 75 cask beers, lagers, ciders and perries from some of the UK’s finest breweries. 🎵 Live music on Thursday, Friday evening and throughout Saturday, with Ukebox returning by popular demand on Saturday, plus further bands to be announced soon. 🥃 A fully stocked bar serving a wide selection of gins, spirits, wines and soft drinks. 🍻 A souvenir festival glass to take home. 📖 A digital festival programme and tasting notes. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or simply looking for a great day or evening out with friends, there’s something for everyone. Please note: A limited number of discounted tickets are available and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the member allocation has been claimed, the discount code will no longer be valid, so we’d encourage you to book early to avoid disappointment. Important: If you’re purchasing member-discounted tickets, you’ll need to bring your valid Liverpool Cricket Club membership card with you on the day, as it will be checked on entry.- See the email for your exclusive discount!