The 39th annual Real Ale and Cider Festival is returning to Colchester, Essex, bringing a wide selection of local and national beverages to the community from 27 May to 30 May 2026. Held at the Colchester Arts Centre on Church Street, this four-day event is organised by the Colchester and North East Essex branch of CAMRA, a volunteer-run organisation dedicated to promoting quality beer and community pubs.
The festival offers an extensive selection for attendees, featuring approximately 80 different cask ales, a variety of craft keg beers, and around 20 real ciders and perries. In addition to these options, the event will serve a range of Belgian beers and English wine provided by Mersea Island Vineyard. Drinks are purchased using a beer card system, which includes cards in £6, £10, and £12 denominations, with each card marked into squares worth 10p each.
To ensure the event remains accessible, entry is free for everyone before 3pm each day. After 3pm, there is a £3 entry charge for those who are not members of CAMRA, while members are granted free entry throughout the event. The festival welcomes well-behaved children until 6:30pm, though organisers note that dogs are not permitted inside the venue, with the exception of assistance dogs.
Since 1988, the Colchester Arts Centre, a Grade II listed building and former parish church, has served as the home for this community tradition. As part of its commitment to the local area, the festival continues its tradition of supporting a local charity each year through a beer card scheme. Attendees are encouraged to donate any unused credit on their cards at the end of their visit by placing them into a collection box located near the exit, a practice that has previously benefited organisations such as the Colchester Foodbank.
The festival runs from 12 noon until 10:30pm on Wednesday 27 May, Thursday 28 May, and Friday 29 May. On the final day, Saturday 30 May, the event opens an hour earlier at 11am and concludes at 10:30pm.
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