Suffolk's biggest beer festival to return with 250 drinks this summer
The festival is returning to Bury St Edmunds this summer - Credit: Robert Robertson
The biggest beer festival in Suffolk is returning to the cathedral in Bury St Edmunds later this year.
Organised by the West Suffolk branch of the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA), the East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival will be bringing more than 250 types of beer to the town, alongside live music, street food and more.
Martin Bate, who is organising the event, said: "The festival was started back in 1991 by the local branch of the National Round Table, with the help of CAMRA and was held in the corn exchange.
"After the corn exchange was sold off, the Apex was built, so the festival moved there. It was a larger venue, and for many years it was fine, but we started to outgrow it too."
The event has been running in Bury Cathedral since last year - Credit: Robert Robertson
"Then we were approached by St Edmundsbury Cathedral, who came to us, and asked if we wanted to run a beer festival in their cathedral. We thought they were joking, but it turns out they were serious."
The Festival will run from Tuesday, June 14 to Sunday, June 19 in and around Bury St Edmunds Cathedral. Entry will be free during the day, but a small fee will be charged during the evening.
Bury St Edmunds Beer and Cider Festival is returning to St Edmundsbury Cathedral - Credit: Robert Robertson
On top of 120 types of beer, the festival will feature 40 different ciders, a gin bar and live music, as well as multiple food vendors.
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Mr Bates added: "Having the festival in the cathedral was more than brilliant. I've had people coming up to me during the day saying 'please don't go back to the Apex', and others who hadn't spoken to me in years saying they can't believe it was so good.
"The Cathedral staff has been absolutely fantastic supporting us, nothing is too difficult for them to help us make happen. They are very progressive and forward-thinking- their main objective is to get people in to enjoy the cathedral."
"There were a couple of objections last year but the Dean, Joe Hawes said on the radio, "Jesus turned water into wine, not the other way round."
Cathedral Dean Joe Hawes toasting the success of the festival - Credit: Robert Robertson
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