Raise a glass to Hastings Beer and Music Festival

After 35 years on the same site, Hastings Beer and Music Festival is changing location. Usually held in Alexandra Park, this year it will be at The Oval with organisers Hastings Round Table hoping the move will make the event even bigger and better.

“This is an exciting time for the Hastings Beer and Music Festival,” enthuses Adam Streather, member of Hastings Round Table and this year’s HBMF chairman.

“Moving to a new venue gives us the opportunity to improve the event’s current format and expand on what is already a fantastic event.

“You can expect a bigger venue, better facilities but still the same great atmosphere.

“Myself and the rest of the HBMF committee look forward to welcoming visitors to our new site at The Oval, all joining together to raise money for local good causes.”

With the enormous big top used to accommodate the growing numbers of visitors to the festival in recent years it has simply outgrown the park.

Another key change this year will be the tickets. With the aim to make getting in and out of the festival smoother, as well as pre-event logistics, organisers will be swapping to e-tickets. With the assistance of event partner, Eventbrite, Hastings Round Table is very confident this can only be a good thing.

Other improvements include ale having its very own tent; a much smoother taxi drop off/collection service; vastly improved layout of food vendors, and toilets, and not to mention the stunning sea views.

It certainly is an exciting time for the event and Hastings Round Table want to thank the hundreds and thousands of volunteers that have helped over the years at Alexandra Park, and hope to see many of them again at The Oval.

“The event simply wouldn’t run without the generous help of local volunteers, and amazing support from local businesses who sponsor the event,” says Adam.

The organisers would also like to remind/reassure everyone that every single penny raised goes to local good causes - check out the website for more information on where the money goes.

With great bands, great ales, fantastic local food, family fun on the Saturday day time, great atmosphere, Proms on the Thursday evening there is something for everyone all it needs is for the weather to play ball to make it extra special.

Hastings Beer and Music Festival takes place from

July 6-8 starting with the Prom night on Thursday, followed by a further two days of music over the Friday and Saturday, with bands including The 70s Show, The Cavaliers, Deep Sea Divers and The Kavemen.

For more information, visit www.hastingsroundtable.co.uk

If you would like to get involved in HBMF, please email [email protected]

If you would like to know more about Hastings Round Table, please email [email protected]

History of the beer festival

Conceived in 1981 by former Hastings Round Table member John Butters and friend Martin Harris, ‘Hastings Beer Festival’ started life as a small charity fund-raising event in the glorious Alexandra Park.

In 1998 the event was renamed the ‘Hastings Beer and Music Festival’ (HBMF), and organised by Hastings Round Table, with the much appreciated help of hundreds of volunteers, it is now the biggest social event in Hastings and the surrounding area - averaging more than 11,000 revellers through the gates.

Over the years the event has gone from strength to strength, with numbers consistently growing. It has of course adapted with the times, mainly the shift towards music being as important as the beer - which has in turn resulted in the event attracting some of the best local bands, as well as some big names including Keane in 2005 and 2012, and Status Quo in 2006. Since 2006 organisers have stuck to the remit of keeping it local. In 2012 it extended HBMF by one night to accommodate The Battle of Hastings Proms on the Thursday evening - an opportunity to bring a picnic (even with ‘dining table’), wave flags, and sing along to some of your favourite tunes.

This first featured in the July edition of etc Magazine pick up your copy now.

Picture: Steve Hunnisett

Picture: Tony Coombes Photography