Beer Festivals Near Morpeth
From the annual Morpeth Beer Festival at the rugby club to a farmhouse brewery celebration and the Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, here are the best beer festivals in and around Morpeth.
Morpeth is a fine town for a pint at any time of year, but the festival season brings something extra. From a packed marquee at the rugby club to a farmhouse brewery in the Northumberland countryside, there are several beer festivals within easy reach of the town. Here is what to look out for.
Morpeth Beer Festival — Morpeth RFC
The annual Morpeth Beer Festival is held at Morpeth Rugby Football Club and has become one of the town's most popular social weekends. The 12th edition took place on 1-2 May 2026, offering around 30 beers and ciders alongside gin, rum, fizz, and Pimms.
The festival is family-friendly, with under-18s welcome until 9pm both days. Live music, food stalls, and rugby matches round out the programme. It is a relaxed, community-spirited event that regularly sells out.
Best for: A proper town festival — real ale, live music, and rugby in one weekend.
From the Land — Rigg and Furrow
Rigg and Furrow is a farmhouse brewery based at Acklington Park Farm, a few miles north of Morpeth. Their From the Land invitational beer festival has quickly established itself as one of the most interesting beer events in the North East.
The 2026 edition ran across 2-3 May, bringing together breweries that celebrate agriculture and craft — including Fyne Ales, Burning Sky, Farmyard Brew Co, Origins Brewing, and Rigg and Furrow themselves. Alongside the beer, the festival featured natural wine, cocktails from Ad Gefrin, cider from Nightingale, DJs, guided tastings, and street food.
Tickets start from around ten pounds per session. A return bus ran from Newcastle on the Sunday, departing from the Free Trade Inn.
Best for: A curated celebration of farmhouse brewing in beautiful Northumberland countryside.
The Star Inn Beer Festival — Harbottle
The Star Inn in Harbottle, a handsome country pub deep in Coquetdale within the Northumberland National Park, holds a beer festival over the early May bank holiday weekend. The 2026 event ran from 1-4 May, featuring around ten different ales from local breweries.
Harbottle is about 25 miles from Morpeth, but the drive through Upper Coquetdale is one of the finest in Northumberland. Combine the festival with a walk to Harbottle Castle or Drake Stone for a proper day out.
Best for: A small pub festival in a spectacular National Park setting.
Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival
The 48th Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, organised by the Tyneside and Northumberland branch of CAMRA, took place from 15-18 April 2026 at Northumbria Students' Union, a short walk from Haymarket Metro station.
The festival featured over 70 beers and 30 ciders. Admission was five pounds on Wednesday and Saturday, ten pounds on Thursday and Friday, with free advance entry for CAMRA members. Half pints were served on a token system at around 1.30 pounds per half.
Newcastle is a straightforward 25-minute train journey from Morpeth, making this one of the easiest festivals to reach without driving.
Best for: The region's flagship CAMRA festival, easily reached by train from Morpeth.
Ponteland Beer Festival
The Ponteland Beer Festival takes place at Ponteland RFC and has grown into one of the biggest beer events in the region. The 2026 edition is on 29-30 May, with over 150 real ales and lagers, 40 ciders, wines, prosecco, a Pimms bar, and a gin bar.
Every ticket includes four free festival beer tokens, each redeemable for a half pint. Accompanied children under 12 are welcome until 6pm. Ponteland is around 20 miles south of Morpeth via the A1 and A696.
Best for: A large-scale festival with an impressive 150-plus beer selection.
Berwick Food and Beer Festival
Further north, the Berwick Food and Beer Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary on 14-16 August 2026. The Parade in Berwick-upon-Tweed comes alive with craft ales, street food, over 50 local producers, live music, workshops, and family activities across the weekend.
Berwick is about 50 miles from Morpeth but is well-served by the East Coast Main Line, making it a comfortable day trip by train. The combination of beer, food, and the dramatic setting of Berwick's Elizabethan walls makes this one worth the journey.
Best for: A 20th-anniversary celebration of food and drink on the Scottish border.
Morpeth's Year-Round Real Ale Scene
You do not need to wait for a festival to drink well in Morpeth. The Tap and Spile on Manchester Street is a multiple CAMRA Northumberland Pub of the Year winner with eight handpulls. The Black Bull on Bridge Street has six handpulls and a large beer garden overlooking the Wansbeck. And the Joiners Arms on Wansbeck Street is a regular entry in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, with a riverside terrace and a dog-friendly public bar.
Between the festivals and the pubs, Morpeth holds its own as one of the best real ale towns in Northumberland.
Know a beer festival we've missed? Get in touch.