Locals in a Shropshire village are being urged to raise a glass or two to King Charles III at a special event being held during the Coronation weekend.
The Albrighton Beer & Music Festival, which will be staged on Friday May 5th and Saturday May 6th, is now into its eighth year and this time organisers are hoping the royal-themed party will help it raise over £6000 towards the refurbishment of the Albrighton War Memorial.
Held inside the stunning St Mary Magdalene church, thirsty villagers can expect to enjoy more than 26 different ales and ciders from popular breweries including Ashover, Birmingham Brewing Company, Black Country Ales, Castle Rock, Lymestone, and Wye Valley.
There will also be soft drinks, wines, hot food and snacks available, with a host of top local musical artists lined-up to raise spirits and entertain the crowds that are expected to top over 500 during the weekend.
“This event keeps getting bigger and better every year and, this time around, we have the added benefit of being able to celebrate King Charles III’s Coronation,” explained Paul Fisher, Chair of the organising committee.
“With this in mind, we’ll be opening early on Saturday morning and big screens will be set-up so that people don’t miss a minute of the ceremony. There are not many places in the UK where you can see a major historic event whilst enjoying some fantastic ales and ciders in the beautiful surroundings of a church.”
He continued: “There is a serious fundraising element to the Beer and Music Festival and this year we’ll be looking to raise much-needed funds for the restoration of the Albrighton War Memorial that pays tribute to local people who have served their country.
“We need to raise £50,000 in total to make this possible and, so far, the village is up to nearly £20,000. Hopefully, we can give the project a big boost.”
The Albrighton Beer and Music Festival kicks off at 6pm on Friday May 5th and will have extended opening hours on Saturday from 10.30am till 11pm.
Entry is just £4 and includes a free souvenir tumbler, with drinkers from Friday able to return on Saturday completely free of charge.
Musical acts confirmed so far are Andy Mills, Emelye Evans, Fan Radio, George Gill, Kev Ruby-Astin and Woodsetton Wanderers.
Reverend Mary Thomas added her support: “The Beer and Music Festival has grown into one of Albrighton’s most eagerly awaited events and hopefully this year will be no different.
“We’ve got great ales, great ciders, great music and, in my humble opinion, the most atmospheric beer festival venue in the UK!”
