THERE will be plenty of glasses raised in the city later

this week as real ale enthusiasts gear up for Derby's 31st

annual Beer Festival.

The five-day event, organised and run by Derby CAMRA

members, looks set to be as popular as ever, providing a varied

selection of musical entertainment, as well as offering the

chance to sample some of the best beers, ciders and perries

around.

Although beer has always been the main focus, the musical

entertainment sits happily alongside it, pulling in a wider

audience and making the event more family friendly.

This year's acts include Ockbrook Big Band, which will help

to launch the event on Wednesday evening with a Glen

Miller-style set, and Tiger Feet, whose songs recapture the

Glam Rock era of the 1970s when bands like Slade, Sweet and Mud

were rocking the charts.

Nostalgic sounds of the 1980s can be heard on Saturday with

high-energy Madness tribute band Badness playing ska, in

contrast to Thursday evening, when a Red Hot Chill Peppers

tribute band take the stage.

Local musicians will also join the line-up with

Duffield-based Chaser and festival regulars, Three Wheel Drive,

from Derby, who, in their 16th beer festival appearance, close

proceedings with their own style of rock music and rhythm and

blues.

It won't be just the beer bellies which are shaking on the

Saturday lunchtime as a belly dancing routine is to be

introduced by the Black Pig Border performance troupe,

alongside their more traditional Morris Dancing set.

Derby is one of the largest regional beer festivals in the

UK and has consistently drawn large crowds, ever since it was

launched as part of the Charter Year celebrations in 1977.

This year's event, named as Derby's “thirty-thirst” beer

festival, celebrates 150 years' active service by Private

Derby; the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters official

mascot, a ram.

Private Derby will be helping Derby's Beer King, Les

Baynton, to open the festival on Wednesday evening.

CAMRA member Les Baynton has been king of the Beer Festival

since the role was introduced four years ago.

This year he'll be showing off a shiny new crown and fluffy

cloak which have been presented to him by University of Derby

students.

In addition to sampling traditional ales, milds, stouts,

porters and largers, drinkers this year will also be invited to

taste a selection of continental bottled beers, mainly from

Belgium and Germany, plus traditional farmhouse ciders and

perries.

Admission is free to senior citizens every lunchtime and

Wednesday evening and free at all times to CAMRA and EBCU

members. There are no advance tickets available so it is

advisable to arrive early on the Friday and Saturday evenings

which tend to be busy.

PROGRAMME

Wednesday July 9

Open 6.30pm-11pm:     Opening ceremony

followed by  Ockbrook Big Band (main hall) and  

Ripley Morris Men. Admission £3.

Thursday July 10  

  Open 11.30am-3pm:   Fantasia perform gypsy-

style jazz (main hall) from 1pm. Admission free.

    Open 6.30pm-11pm:   Red Hot Chilli

Peppers tribute band (main hall) and support band Pug Ma

Ho     at 8pm.  Admission £5.

 Friday July 11 

      Open 

11.30am-3pm:   Johnny Johnstone  Jazz

Quintet    from 1pm. Admission £1.

 Open  5pm-11pm:    Alma Boobies, an

all-girl rock band perform from 5pm (Darwin Suite). Admission

£2.  70s glam rock sounds  from Tiger Feet

and   rock and soul from  Chaser (pictured) in

the main hall from 8pm. Admission £6.

 Saturday July 12  

Open  11.30am-4pm:    Irish folk band

Kelly’s Heroes  perform  (Darwin Suite)  from

1pm. The colourful dancers  Black Pig Border and Joe

Nutman will  play jazz piano from 8pm (main hall).

Admission £3.

 Open  6.30-11pm:   Kelly’s Heroes (Darwin

Suite), 50s Rock and Roll from support band  TR and the

Rockets and  Badness from  8pm (main hall). 

Admission £6.

 Sunday July 13

   Open noon-2.30pm:   Rock and rhythm and

blues sounds from Three Wheel Drive from 1pm. Magicians Clivo

and Auntie Jean will entertain and perform   table

magic. Admission free.