Breweries announced for Sunderland Craft Beer Festival - here's the line-up

A homegrown brewery is gearing up to wet Wearside’s whistle with a host of independent craft beers.

Vaux, in Roker, will be taking over The Parade Ground at The Fire Station for Sunderland Craft Beer Festival 2024.

Taking place over three sessions on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27, the festival will give people the chance to try keg and cask beers from 15 different independent breweries, meet the brewers and hear the stories behind the brands, as well as enjoying street food and live DJ sets.

As well as beers served from the Vaux van, ticket holders can also sup on pints from Deya, North, Newbarns, Thornbridge, Full Circle, Kirkstall, Rigg & Furrow, Wylam, Brew York, Black Lodge, Phantom, Amity Brew Co, Tooth & Claw and Bayonet Brewing.

Timings are 6pm to 11pm on the Friday, 12pm to 5pm and 6pm to 11pm on the Saturday, with the daytime session on the Saturday already sold out.

There’s a capacity of around 400 for each session and the Saturday night is near to selling out, with availability for the Friday night also.

Kris Forster, Vaux Sales Manager, said: “We didn’t expect to have a sell-out session so fast. We’ve had a massive response and it just goes to show that this is an event Sunderland needed and wanted. As well as highlighting local breweries, we’re showing what independent breweries from across the country have to offer, many of whom will be taking part in a Sunderland festival for the first time.”

Something of a hidden gem, The Parade Ground is at the rear of the Fire Station and is its own self-contained space with a stage and bar, which will be serving ciders and wines over the course of the event.

Although the beer festival is outdoors, there will be a marquee in case of rain.

“Events like this happen all the time in Newcastle and it’s about time Sunderland had them too,” added Kris. “There’s so much happening in the city centre at the moment, with all the new bars in Keel Square, and it’s great to be a part of that.”

There will also be food available from a range of street food traders, including Mexican food from Flankman and more to be announced, as well as fringe events at surrounding bars.

The festival coincides with the fifth anniversary of Vaux, one of Sunderland's oldest brands and a Sunderland household name, which was brought back to life by business partners Steve Smith and Michael Thompson in 2019. They've since brought a number of new beers to the market, which are sold at bars around the country as well as at the taproom in Roker Retail Park.

This year, Vaux has also expanded the business into its own pubs, taking on two sites in the city.

Work is well underway on the new Elephant Rock site, a beachfront bar being created in the old Victorian shelter at the far end of Marine Walk in Roker, so called after the old rock formation which once divided Roker from Seaburn.

And in the city centre, preliminary works have started on the historic Bridge Hotel Vaults in High Street West.

One of Sunderland's oldest pubs, just opposite Pop Recs, it will be brought back as a Victorian-looking pub once more after previously being used by the Youth Offending Service as Lambton House, with its original name of Bridge Hotel Vaults reinstated.

It's also set to open its doors this year.

Tickets

Tickets for Sunderland Craft Beer Festival (SCBF) are priced £15, which includes an exclusive festival glass and programme. People can then purchase beer tokens at the event.

The remaining sessions are Friday, July 26 from 6pm to 11pm and Saturday, July 27 from 6pm to 11pm. They’re available from firestation.org.uk