Great atmosphere at Blackwell Beer Festival

There was a jovial atmosphere in Blackwell last week as the village hosted its second midsummer beer festival.

Starting with picnics and family friendly activities outside the village hall in the afternoon, adults returned later in the evening for the popular beer festival.

Revellers from nearby villages joined Blackwell residents to sample the six beers and three ciders on offer at the festival, with many camping overnight in gardens in the village.

Beers from Donnington, North Cotswolds and Stratford Breweries were represented at the bar, with the Stratford Gold proving to be the most popular tipple on the night.

Live music was provided by a folk band called Sixteen Strings and a Dead Goat, who played two sets between 7-10pm.

Russell Hall, chairman of festival organisers the Blackwell Village Hall Committee, said: “I think there must have been around 200 people there during the whole day and the event had a really relaxed atmosphere, and a jovial one in the evening. We do it on the longest Saturday of the year.

“We are raising money to install a wrought iron bench around the oak tree on the village green. It was planted to mark the silver jubilee in 1977 with an acorn from Balmoral and we need to raise around £1,000 to build the bench. I’m really happy that with the funds raised from the beer festival we are very nearly at that total.”