12 October 2010 A record number of over 4,600 visitors packed into the Winter Garden last weekend for the eighth annual Eastbourne Beer Festival topping last year’s total punters by more than 12%.
This year a record three sessions sold out with Friday and Saturday night selling out weeks before the event, and Thursday night enjoying a record year as the remaining tickets went quickly on the door with over 31% more drinkers enjoying first dibs on the ale.
It was similar success for the Saturday day session too, with over 1,000 festival goers enjoying entertainment from Long Man Morris dancers when the Mayor took a masterclass in Morris Dancing.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Neil Stanley said “What a fantastic year for Eastbourne Beer Festival, attracting more visitors than ever before and testament to the brilliant reputation it has built up over the past eight years. Tickets for Friday and Saturday night have sold out for a few years in a row but 2010 really did exceed all expectations with Thursday enjoying the busiest festival opening in the event’s history.
“There was a real choice for ale lovers at this year’s festival too with 150 different varieties to choose from. Combined with the cider, wine and bottled beers bar, plus the live entertainment at each session, the Beer Festival is a great event bringing the local community and visitors together.”
2010 was a record year for the amount of alcohol visitors consumed too, with token sales up 5.3% on last year and a staggering 25.2% up on 2008. Festival fans managed to down a record total of 14,430 pints over the four sessions, 1,130 more than in 2009 and 2,730 more pints than in 2008.
With a total of 4,692 visitors enjoying this year’s event, there were lots of positive comments posted on twitter during the weekend, with one fan commenting that it’s the best beer festival they’ve been to.
This year Beachy Head Brewery took the title of Beer of the Festival for their Legless Rambler, while East Hoathly’s 1648 Brewing Company’s honey infused Beehead received the award for Sussex Microbrewer. Gwynt y Ddraig Two Trees and Rosie’s Triple D were awarded Perry and Cider of the Festival respectively.
Other festival highlights included a top bill of entertainment featuring the Ragati Band opening the show on Thursday evening, The Tar Babies and Marcella Aldous rocking the venue on Friday night, and The Lucky Ones and Beve and the Beetroot entertaining the crowds on Saturday.
Eastbourne Beer Festival will return next year from 27-29 October 2011. For the latest event news and information on what’s going on in Eastbourne visit the VisitEastbourne website or telephone 0871 663 0031.
