Our beer festival
Merchant Adventurers' Charity Beer Festival
The festival returns in 2027 on Friday 2 & Saturday 3 July, when the Great Hall will be transformed into our Keg Beer Hall and the atmospheric Undercroft is decked out with a 30-foot Cask Bar.
Supported by headline sponsors Brew York and Elvington Brewery, the festival offers a unique opportunity to enjoy this historic setting in the heart of the city. Split across four sessions, 90 beers, lagers and ciders from over 30 breweries will be pouring.
Throughout the weekend the garden will host the YO1 Radio stage, with a line up of local artists providing the soundtrack. Quality street food and bar snacks will be available, the perfect accompaniment to the beer!
Early bird tickets are £10 and include:
-Entrance to your chosen session
-Your own festival glass to use at the session (and take home!)
-Festival programme
Beer tokens can be purchased on arrival-£3 per token, tokens can be exchanged at the bars for a half (or a third dependent on ABV) of your chosen beer, lager or cider.
Book your tickets here
Which projects are supported by the festival?
All proceeds raised at the Beer Festival go towards the Merchant Adventurers’ Charitable Trust, which supports a range of education projects across the city.
This year’s event hopes to raise £25,000 for the Trust, which will go towards free school visits for over 1,400 York schoolchildren and a business & enterprise course for York teenagers and an apprenticeship awards programme.
Learn more
Thank you to our 2026 sponsors, breweries, cask sponsors and volunteers! Interested in sponsoring in 2027?
Sponsorship information & opportunities
Useful information
-Over 18s only.
-Sadly due to our very special venue only assistance dogs are welcome.
-A selection of street food and bar snacks will be available from our food vendors located in the garden.
-Gluten free, vegan and vegetarian beer and food will be available. All allergen information can be found at the bar and in the programme or please ask a member of the team.
On arrival you will be given your festival glass.
Water stations are situation on both floors for you to rinse your glass between drinks and rehydrate!
Entry is via Fossgate only.