Free family-friendly festival of beer, food and the best local music returns after two-year break

Something for everyone as 50 years of civic pride is celebrated during community event featuring brewers from across the North East region and beyond.

The eclectic and inclusive event is less than a month away at Gosforth Civic Theatre (GCT), with 20 keg and 10 cask beers on tap, and for the first time, a dedicated spirit and wine bar, and a no and low-alcohol bar too.

The GCT Beer Festival 2024 is an independent event supporting local artists and vendors, and all profits from the three-day extravaganza will be ploughed back into the venue’s mission to provide work and training opportunities for people with learning disabilities.

Beginning at 4pm on 2 August, beats for the drop-in festivities on Friday will be provided in the form of Suburban Soul Disco from Sister Shack DJ, Awkward Black Girl, who is renowned for crafting unforgettable shared experiences through her fusion of soul, R&B, hip hop, pop, disco and more, while Saturday’s entertainment includes an afternoon of kids’ crafting, and live local music from 6pm.

The line-up, which will be presented by F54 Live, includes Bigfatbig*, who erupted on to the North East music scene five years ago before being made a BBC Introducing tip for 2020, gaining airplay on BBC Radio 6, landing a spot on BBC Sounds’ The Hot List, and earlier this year performing at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Luton.

Newcastle-based jazz collective SwanNek, whose debut release garnered notable reviews following a monthly residency at city centre venue Hoochie Coochie throughout last year, will also grace Saturday’s stage, as will Elizabeth Liddle, whose modern-yet-retro pop and soul influences draw from the sound of the Laurel Canyon to create her unique sound.

Expect a more chilled vibe on Sunday, 4 August when the whole family can enjoy a selection of games consoles and concert films shown on the theatre’s big screen.

Previous incarnations of the GCT Beer Festival have attracted up to 2,000 people to enjoy local wares from the likes of Allendale Brewery, Almasty Brewing, Full Circle Brew Co., Donzoko and Northern Alchemy, alongside Manchester’s Cloudwater and Norfolk’s Duration Brewing to name a few.

A selection of tasty titbits will also be on offer, with a range of loaded fries options from the in-house GCT Café Bar, as well as an evening visit on Friday from Goodtimes Tacos, and from Scream for Pizza throughout Saturday’s shenanigans.

GCT’s CEO Rob Huggins said: “The 2024 Beer Festival at GCT is extra special because not only is it returning after a two-year hiatus, but this year marks 50 years since Gosforth Council opened Gosforth Civic Hall at this spot.

“Before Liberdade’s vision for a modern, accessible, community-focused venue at the site, it was the vibrant centre of the community for nearly three decades and, having re-opened last year following an extensive refurbishment, we hope that we have continued with that legacy, and restored some civic pride to such a vital local building.

“This year, GCT Beer Festival is our celebration of that civic pride and we look forward to a bumper crowd joining us.”

Although the Beer Festival is free, donations to support the venue’s mission are most welcome and can be made online at gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk/support-us, or in person over the course of the weekend.

Tickets and further information about all other upcoming events at GCT are available from gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk.

Timings for the Beer Festival are as follows:

Friday 2 August, 4pm - 11pm

Saturday 3 August, 12pm - 1pm

Sunday 4 August, 11am - 4pm.

See the full lineup here.