Pendle Beer Festival cancelled due to Omicron spread

Pendle Beer Festival was due to take place between 3-5 February of this year but organisers announced its cancellation earlier this week.

The beer festival will be back “with a bang” in February 2023 when it will return to The Muni Theatre in Colne.

A spokesperson for the Pendle Beer Festival said: “We are very sorry to announce that this year's festival, due to take place in February, has been cancelled.

“Although as things stand there are no legal restrictions in place preventing us going ahead, we feel there are just too many uncertainties due to the ongoing Covid Omicron spread to allow us to put on a successful event.

“However, we are looking forward to being back with a bang in February 2023 and hope you can all raise a glass or three with us then.”

It’s the second year in a row that the Pendle Beer festival has been cancelled as coronavirus also brought a halt to organiser’s plans in 2021.

Pendle Beer Festival at Colne' Muni Theatre

The event, attended by 2500 people in 2019, is organised by a dedicated band of volunteers from the East Lancashire branch of CAMRA who source a variety of beers, and other alcoholic beverages, from around the country for visitors to try.

A beer festival which normally takes place in Marine Hall, Fleetwood has also had to be cancelled.

A spokesperson said: “Fleetwood Beer Festival will return for its 39th occasion next February (2023), unless circumstances beyond their control conspire against them...

“Approximately 100 real ales, ciders and perries will be avaliable. Entertainment will be provided by two local bands on Friday evening and Saturday evening.”

Rick Pickup, branch chair, said: “We have moved heaven and earth in an attempt to run Fleetwood Beer & Cider Festival this year, but sadly have had to conclude that we have to postpone.

“We simply don’t have enough volunteers to be able to guarantee that the event can run smoothly in normal times and when we are faced with the potential of Covid hitting our staff numbers further, it became inevitable that the risk of not being able to run the event at the last minute was too high.

“We have also faced problems in supply chain meaning that guaranteeing the range of beers that we would like to have had available was impossible.”

While the Pendle and Fleetwood Beer Festival has been cancelled, many others in the county are still going ahead.

Blackburn Beer & Gin Festival will return on April 29th, 30th and 1st May 2022 at Blackburn Rugby Club.

The festival features over 60 real ales, fine wine and gin.

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend, as well as over 80 local businesses attending, and admission is £5.

Waddington Village Club Beer Festival in the Ribble Valley has also been given the green light. Admission is free and it will take place on Sunday 27 February, at the Waddington Village Club on Clitheroe Road.

A four-day mini beer festival is also coming to the Hare and Hounds pub in Padiham, set to take place from 15 April -18 April. More details will be released closer to the time.

Clitheroe Beer Festival, which takes place at the Assembly Hall of St Michael and Johns in Clitheroe, will also be going ahead; it will take place on 12-14 May.

A spokesperson said: “We are delighted to announce that Clitheroe Beer Festival will return in its customary mid-May slot for 2022.

“We are looking forward to seeing everyone after what will be a three year hiatus. In the meantime we will continue to support our local pubs, bars, brewers and distributors as their doors reopen.

“We would like to thank all our sponsors, supporters and brewers for sticking with us, it’s going to be a festival to remember!

The 13th Clitheroe Beer Festival was due to take place in May 2020, however owing to the Covid-19 Outbreak had to be postponed until 2021, and again until 2022.