Ales on Rails: Great Central Railway’s Real Ale, Cider & Gin Festival Returns

Great Central Railway’s popular Real Ale, Cider & Gin Festival is set to return from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 September, offering visitors a weekend of heritage railway travel, live music, food stalls and a huge selection of drinks across the line.

Entry to the festival is free, with visitors able to explore the railway’s stations and enjoy the bars, drinks and live entertainment.

Tickets are required for those wishing to travel on the heritage trains, which will run between stations throughout the festival, offering the chance to combine a journey on the railway with a selection of unique guest beers and drinks along the way.

The festival gets underway at midday on Thursday at Loughborough, with diesel trains running and draught ales and snacks available to get the weekend started. The Loughborough station bar will also be open from 12 noon.

Friday and Saturday will see more than 85 different beers, 30 ciders and a selection of spirits available across the line, alongside a packed programme of live music from talented local performers and a variety of food stalls serving up plenty of choice for hungry festivalgoers.

Friday’s line-up will feature Luke BP and The Waltzing Bumble Bees in the Quorn Main Marquee, with Megan Iris performing at the Rothley C&W Shed. On Saturday, visitors can enjoy performances from Ruth Chomik, Embers Duo and Not Now Cato in the Quorn Main Marquee, alongside Java Duke and Jenny Wren at the Rothley C&W Shed.

Steam and diesel trains will run throughout both days – and late into the night – creating the perfect setting for a proper rail ale experience, with visitors able to hop on and off the trains as they explore the festival along the line.

On Sunday, visitors can wind down with a leisurely pint, with all four bars remaining open into the afternoon, providing the perfect way to round off the festival weekend.

Malcolm Holmes, General Manager at the Great Central Railway, said: “Our Real Ale, Cider & Gin Festival is always a highlight of the calendar, bringing together everything that makes a visit to the Great Central Railway so special – heritage trains, great drinks and live entertainment.

“With more than 85 beers and 30 ciders to discover, as well as speciality gins, live music and trains running throughout the weekend, there’s plenty to enjoy whether visitors are joining us for one day or making a full weekend of it.”

A wide range of ticket options are available for those wishing to travel on the trains, including our popular two, three and four-day tickets for visitors wanting to enjoy more than one day of the festival. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more by contacting the Great Central Railway’s Booking Office.

With free festival entry, four bars, an extensive selection of drinks, live music, food stalls and a packed timetable of steam and diesel services, the Real Ale, Cider & Gin Festival promises a weekend of great drinks, good company and an exhilarating heritage railway experience.

To find out more and book train travel for the weekend, please visit: https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/visit/events/20260917-beer-cider-gin-festival

---