There are a few more thank yous following this year's festival, and one right up there is to the drivers, conductors, mechanics, body workers, fitters, bus owners and enthusiasts of Wigan Transport Trust, without which we suspect many people wouldn't make it out to our out-of-centre venue. Cheers.

Big thank you post 2/2. The other big group of people without whom there would be no beer festival, is our customers. Whether you have been to many of our beer festivals, some of them, or this one was your first, thank you, and we very hope to see you again next year. Cheers. #2026WBF

Big thank post 1/2. There would be no beer festival without our staff, every single one of them a volunteer. Thank you so much for your time and talent in making this beer festival such a success. You are all greatly appreciated. And thank you Nick Fairhurst for these photos. #2026WBF

And here is one of our valued volunteers Tony Shaw breaking all his beer rules, enjoying a vanilla milkshake stout from the craft and foreign beer bar. Shocking 🤣 #2026WBF

Thank you Nadine, Aaron and Chris from Western Australia, who just might be our longest distance visitors. Well, ok, Aaron now lives locally, and Nadine and Chris might have been visiting him, but we'll take it. We are really pleased you all enjoyed it. See you next year 😁 #2026WBF

The brass band are warming up nicely playing living on a prayer, and you've turned out in great numbers. Plenty of room left though and plenty of beer, cider and gin left to see us through to 9 o'clock. Do join us and as a bonus it is free admission after 5 o'clock. We would love to see you #2026WBF

We have two Wigan Transport Trust vintage buses on today from 11.3O at Stand A at Wigan Bus Station, and then every half hour throughout the day until 8pm, a few minutes later at the stop opposite the Swan & Railway Hotel, and returning from outside the festival venue every half hour too #2026WBF

One last time indeed. On my way 🍺 @wiganbeerfest.bsky.social

And of course, we have Just the Cheese with us. Do not forget the cheese ❤️❤️

What were our 2026 beers of the festival you ask - yes? (1/2) Well, here they are. Our Brewed in Wigan Dark is Guardian Angel by Clay Brow Nano Brewery in collaboration with the Gasket and Pennington's; our Brewed in Wigan Pale is Heidrun by Problem Child Brewing; #2026WBF

Thank you to everyone who came to our Thursday evening session. Day 2 today from midday. See you later #2026WBF

Your chariot awaits. Full details available via this link: sites.google.com/view/wbforga.... We are very grateful to Wigan Transport Trust for their service. Please leave donations in the collection buckets. Cheers #2026WBF

They said we had Katy Perry appearing at the festival, but it turns out it isn't the internationally acclaimed American singer (she wasn't available), but a medium sweet apple and pear cider. Sounds delicious nevertheless and we have 25 other ciders too. Maybe she'll be available next year. #2026WBF

We also have 69 craft beers, including 12 lagers or wheat beers, 8 dark beers, 24 pale beers and 22 sours or fruit beers. Something for everyone, hopefully #2026WBF

Cask Ale list post 3 of 3 We are very fortunate in our CAMRA branch to have 5 fine breweries and Wigan Brewhouse, Wily Fox, Problem Child and Clay Brow are proudly represented on our cask ale bar with 10 beers. Do join us from 5.30pm on Thursday, midday on Friday and 11.30am on Saturday. #2026WBF

Cask Ale list post 2 of 3 On the dark side we have 31 beers on cask including 29 porters and stouts of great variety, an old ale and an unusual mild. They are ready and waiting for you. We open tomorrow at 5.30pm The full lists are here: sites.google.com/view/wbforga... #2026WBF

We have 58 'pale' cask ales, including an ultra pale, session IPAs, IPAs, NEIPAs, a West Coast IPA, a centrist pale, a kveik pale, an oat pale, hazy pales, blondes, goldens, a tropical ale, a ginger ale, a fruit ale, an English ale and bitters. Full list here: sites.google.com/view/wbforga...

Pick up a programme on entry - it's almost compulsory after all. The beer that's arrived is almost 100% in line with the programme notes. The only change is that a Torrside Brewing beer that didn't have a name now does. #2026WBF

We made so much progress today we could almost open 24 hours early, but the beer will benefit from the extra time to rest. Still no website. Beer posts within the next 24 hours. We open 5.30pm on Thursday. See you there. #2026WBF

We will be raising money for our friends and yours Wigan & Leigh Hospice again this year. Donations of cash and unspent beer tokens gratefully received for a great cause. It all starts at 5.30pm on Thursday. Cheers #2026WBF

Entertaining you on Friday from 8.30pm will be The Deevines, an R&B/pop and 80s tribute band. And on Saturday from 1pm, it will be Ryan James, a male vocalist, and at 4pm, Pemberton Old Wigan 8 piece brass band. How's that for variety. We can't wait. 4 days to go until be open. #2026WBF

Vintage shuttle bus timetable alert, starting from Stand A at the bus station and calling at Wallgate between the two rail stations. Provided by our friends at Wigan Transport Trust. Donations in the bucket will be very welcome. See you on Thursday, Friday and/or next Saturday. Cheers #2026WBF

We had a bit of a gathering to launch the beer festival at Wigan Brewhouse taproom recently. Pictured in that fantastic space are a few of our organisers, with brewer Jonny. It all starts a week tonight. We'll see you all very soon. Cheers #2026WBF Thank you to Nick Fairhurst for the photo

We have a temporary online presence until our website is mended: sites.google.com/view/wbforga... Beer lists etc. Cheers

WBF 38

About This Site

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It is a privilege to welcome the Albion Ale House Micropub as one of our main sponsors. Consistently Wigan CAMRA's community pub of the year, if you haven't visited you really should, and if you have, you really should again. And it's just over a week to go for us. See you very soon. #2026WBF

Thank you to Worldchoice Travel for again sponsoring our beer festival. Based in Market St, Wigan, they will be happy to help however far you want to travel, for how long, and for how much or how little you want help for the days in between. Do call in to see them, and do call in to see us. #2026WBF

It is great to welcome back Escape Brewery as one of our main sponsors and we will have two of their beers on our Real Ale Bar: Lynn's Eerie Adventure, a "bold, complex and zesty" pale with Simcoe hops, and Taxi for Cole, a traditional London Porter. Two to look out for. #2026WBF 5th-7th March

Yay, there's less than 2 weeks to go lovely people. Lots to share soon, including beer and cider lists and heritage bus timetables. Please keep a look out for our posts #2026WBF

A very big welcome to a new main sonsor, Motormec Ltd. They offer a friendly and trustworthy service ensuring your vehicle gets the best possible care: servicing, MOTs, tyre repairs, specialist clean, wheel alignment and more. Call 01257 425631 or visit motormecstandish.co.uk for details. #2026WBF