Lord Mayor (and real ale campaigner) launches Stoke Beer and Cider Festival

The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent served pints on Tuesday in a city pub to launch the 40th Stoke Beer and Cider Festival.

Members of the area’s Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) group joined Councillor Lyn Sharpe in the Holy Inadequate in Etruria.

Cllr Sharpe has a long history of supporting the real ale sector and in 2017 was named CAMRA’s National campaigner of the year- one of only six women to get this award in the organisation’s history.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council and CAMRA worked together to make sure this year’s landmark festival could take place and return to the King’s Hall.

She poured pints made in the pub’s on-site brewery and chatted to the organisers about the festival which coincides with the city’s 100-year centenary celebrations.

The festival takes place from 15-18 October 2025 in the King’s Hall and features over 140 ales and over 50 ciders and perry made by breweries from Staffordshire and across the UK.

Cllr Sharpe said: “There aren’t many cities that have been able to host 39 annual beer festivals. I’m proud to have volunteered every year at this festival since the eighth one.

“And I’ll be there in October with my fellow hard-working volunteers from CAMRA. It’s a lovely coincidence that this 40th festival is happening in the same year we celebrate the city turning one hundred.”

  Nick Pellington from Stoke CAMRA said: "Our festival brings together the very best breweries from across the region and UK all under one roof.

“Each year we attract tourists and day trippers from near and far who want to sample the local drinks and food while learning more about our brewing history.

“Along with real ales and ciders, we will have a foreign beer bar and a gin and rum bar.

“Tickets will be on sale soon and I’d encourage people to put the dates in their calendar now.”

Attendees can also enjoy live music and a variety of food stalls throughout the festival. Tickets will be available soon. Keep an eye on https://potteries.camra.org.uk/ for the latest information.