Beer and cider festivals have been mainstays of the British drinking calendar for more than 50 years, and have played a huge role in shaping the beer landscape of the UK, in all its richness and diversity. This book, by award-winning beer writer Laura Hadland, is an homage to these events, and a show of appreciation to all of the people who make them happen. So, grab a glass, buy some tokens and join us on a leisurely stroll around British and Irish beer festivals past and present. We’ll take in the origins of the beer festival in these islands, tell you how a beer festival operates, and, more importantly, who runs it, be they volunteers, producers or paid staff. It is their stories that bring this book to life.