Charity beer festival featuring over 30 breweries and 70 varieties of ales, lagers, and ciders at the historic Merchant Adventurers' Hall.
The Merchant Adventurers' Charity Beer Festival returns to the Merchant Adventurers' Hall on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 July. It's an annual one, and this year it's taking over one of York's oldest buildings — the Hall is 668 years old, so you're drinking in a room that's seen a fair few centuries go by.
There's a lot to get through over the two days. More than 30 breweries will be there, pouring over 70 varieties of beer, ales, lagers and ciders. The space is split into two distinct areas: the Great Hall becomes a 'Keg Beer Hall', and the Undercroft houses a 50-foot 'Cask Bar'. Outside in the garden, there'll be street food stalls and live music coming from the YO1 Radio stage, so you can step out for a bite and a breath of air between pints. Brew York is the main sponsor this year, serving up a range of their popular ales alongside some new ones.
It's a charity event, and the money goes to the Merchant Adventurers' Charitable Trust. The funds support educational projects for local children, business courses for York teenagers and learning award schemes. If you're heading along, it's worth knowing that the festival runs across four separate sessions: Friday afternoon (12:00–16:30), Friday evening (17:30–22:00), Saturday afternoon (12:00–16:30) and Saturday evening (17:30–22:00). You can pick the one that suits you best, or double up if you're feeling ambitious.
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It's a paid event, and tickets are sold through the Merchant Adventurers' Hall website. With the street food and the live music in the garden, it works as a full afternoon or evening out rather than just a quick drink. The Hall is right in the centre of town, so it's an easy one to get to.
