St Helens Festival of Pubs – August 2026

🍻 Festival of Pubs back! 🍻

We’re thrilled to bring you the 2nd Annual St Helens Festival of Pubs — bigger, better, and expanding across the entire St Helens & District CAMRA branch area! Together with our fantastic local real ale pubs, we’re celebrating everything that makes the great British pub the heart of our community. 

This year, we are expanding the festival beyond St Helens Town Centre to include real ale venues in Billinge, Earlestown, Garswood, Haydock, Newton‑le‑Willows, Prescot, Rainford, Rainhill and Whiston. It’s more than a festival – it’s a celebration of community, cask ale and pub culture across St Helens and the wider districts. 

Throughout August, pubs across the branch will host events leading up to a Big Bang Bank Holiday Weekend finale. Expect the very best in real ale and real cider, with activities happening in all corners of the region. 

We have officially teamed up with SSO Logistics once again who will be our main Festival Sponsor. 

“SSO Logistics is a trusted logistics partner, serving businesses across the UK and Europe. We provide a complete logistics solution with No Grey Areas—just clear, honest service. From container import and de-vanning, through to storage and onward delivery across the UK and Europe, we ensure transparency and reliability at every step.”

This isn’t just a festival; it’s a district-wide celebration with an incredible lineup of events lighting up our local pubs, including:

• Live music
• Murder mystery trail
• The legendary CAMRA Pub Treasure Hunt
• Meet the Brewer sessions
• Pub quizzes
• Cider tasting
• Pub map trails
• … and so much more!

And, of course, the star of the show: an unbelievable selection of real ales and ciders flowing across all participating venues. Whether you’re a seasoned ale aficionado or just curious to try something new, your next favourite pint is waiting for you. You can keep track of what’s pouring and whereby using our live festival beer board, kindly supported by Real Ale Finder.

Check out the website to find full details on all participating pubs, along with the complete schedule of events. We’ll be adding even more events to the website as the festival approaches, so be sure to check back regularly for updates.

Pubs are vital community hubs, and with venues facing challenges across the country, it’s never been more important to show them some love. Let’s raise a glass to great beer, brilliant local pubs, and the people who make them!

We are holding yet another Charity prize raffle which will be raising money for Willowbrook Hospice. There is still time if anyone has anything they are willing to donate, do get in touch.

So far, we have:

• Retrospective Festival 2026 tickets
• Nails by Nicole Voucher
• Signed “Happy Hours” book by Mike Critchley
• FIFA World Cup football
• Soap & Glory gift set
• Bottle of Chandon Rose Champagne
• ….and many more

This year, we want to go bigger and better and showcase St Helens and Districts as one of the best real ale destinations in the North West! 

Our Charity Partner is Willowbrook Hospice

 

All proceeds from any fundraising and charity raffles will go towards the wonderful work Willowbrook Hospice do in helping patients and families across St Helens & Knowsley.

 

 

Our Official Festival Programme sponsor – The Turks Head and Cowley Vaults

Live Beer Boards hosted by Real Ale Finder App: