Harrogate is gearing up for the return of its own Beer Week following a highly successful debut event in 2021. The town-wide celebration of Harrogate’s craft beer scene, brewing heritage, and beer in the community is sponsored by Harrogate BID; a collective of local breweries comprising Cold Bath Brewing Co, Daleside Brewery, Harrogate Brewing Co, Roosters Brewing Co, and Turning Point brew Co; and Masham-based beer legends, Black Sheep Brewery.
The inaugural Harrogate Beer Week in 2021 comprised 37 events over 7 days across 13 venues. More than 30 pieces of media coverage were generated across local regional and national titles, including a spotlight feature on BBC Look North. Despite continued Covid challenges and nervousness from event goers at that time, the 2021 initiative attracted more than 1,000 participants across the week and generated around £20,000 additional direct spend in the town – a welcome boost for local businesses emerging from a period of extremely difficult closures and lockdowns.
Running from 19 – 25 September 2022, Harrogate Beer Week will present a programme packed full of of special events hosted at bars, brewery taps, and other venues across Harrogate such as beer and food pairings, blind beer tasting quizzes, bottle shares, homebrew competitions, talks and brewery tours exploring the making of beer. Other features on the programme will include an ‘Indie Beer Trail’, live local music, and a special local beer has been brewed for Harrogate Beer Week 2022 – a collaboration between our local brewery collective following a Brew Day at Roosters earlier this month.
Harrogate Beer Week is not a beer festival in the traditional sense, and it’s intended to bring something new to the town, enhancing the perceived ‘brand Harrogate’ and embracing a new perspective on what Harrogate has to offer for those who may not see themselves in the town’s tea rooms or flower shows. The organisers want to also make it clear that it’s for everyone, not just those who are already into craft beer, and they would especially like to see more people who are currently underrepresented in beer getting involved.
Harrogate Beer Week was created by Harrogate-based Rachel Auty – founder of beer equality project, Women On Tap CIC and currently Head of Marketing at Brew York. She says: “This event is a spotlight on the very best of what’s on offer in Harrogate and is created and delivered by people who actually live and work here, and know the town. The North of England is a superb destination for great craft beer and I’m incredibly proud of the beer scene we have in Harrogate – we boast some of the UK’s leading innovators in brewing and a truly unique portfolio of indie bars and taprooms. My vision stands that Harrogate Beer Week will become an annual flagship event that is proven to deliver direct benefit to the town, particularly our independent beer and food businesses, but also the wider economy including retail, accommodation providers, and leisure facilities.”
The full programme will be live on 24th August 2022 at www.harrogatebeerweek.co.uk
Harrogate Beer Week is generously supported by Harrogate BID, Cold Bath Brewing Co, Daleside Brewery, Harrogate Brewing Co, Roosters Brewing Co, Turning Point brew Co, and Black Sheep Brewery.
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Press release from Women on Tap CIC.
For further information, please contact Rachel Auty via rachauty@gmail.com.