Derby Camra Beer Festival - July 9-13

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.