A York beer festival is back this summer that promises to be the ‘most impressive festival yet’.
The Merchant Adventurers’ Charity Beer Festival will return to York for the fourth consecutive year on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 July.
The event aims to celebrate the finest Yorkshire ales and the artistry of craft brewing while raising vital funds for the Merchant Adventurers Charitable Trust. And this year’s festival is set to raise the bar with a line-up of over 30 guest breweries.
The Merchant Adventurers’ Great Hall, which dates back to 1357, will take centre stage, transforming into a Keg Beer Hall that will showcase up to 30 different ales, beers and lagers; with the Undercroft of the Hall becoming home to a 50-foot Cask Bar, with another 40 beers on offer.
Street food, including pizzas and burritos will be available in the garden, alongside more traditional bar snacks.
For those who may prefer a different tipple to Ale, there will also be a gin and rum showcase from Hooting Owl and a Champagne and wine bar.
Attendees can also take part in beer and cheese pairing sessions, with Jordan Thompson from Love Cheese or learn about the art of distilling from Hooting Owl Founder, Dom M’Benga.
Five years ago, Lee Grabham, co-founder of Brew York, had the idea of hosting a beer festival at the Hall. “2026 promises to be our most impressive festival yet with the addition or a new marquee and outdoor bar,” said Lee.
“This will help us meet the growing demand for the festival and will bring even greater variety and convenience to the beer offering. Don’t miss out on the highlight of the York beer calendar, be sure to buy your ticket soon!”
Last year, the event attracted 1,500 festivalgoers to the iconic venue and raised over £28,000 for the Education Trust that supports educational initiatives for young people across the region including:
- The Merchant Adventurers’ Experience – a project launched in 2022 that has provided free interactive educational visits to over 3,400 Key Stage 2 children from primary schools across the county.
- The Merchant Adventurers’ Business and Enterprise Course, in collaboration with the York Independent and State School Partnership (York ISSP) and University of York, which has seen 100 year nine and ten pupils take part in a six-week course focusing on the skills needed to start a business from developing ideas, testing concepts, conducting market research to problem solving.
The charity also supports excellence awards in York College and Derwent Training in Malton as well as the business faculties of both of York’s Universities.
Tickets are on sale now for The Merchant Adventurers’ Charity Beer Festival 2026 – find out more and book your tickets here.
