ONE of the district’s best-loved beer festivals is making a return this weekend.

The annual Ponteland Beer Festival will take place on Friday (June 3) and Saturday (June 4), next to the rugby pitch at Ponteland Leisure Centre.

Since April 2020, organisers Ponteland Rugby Club have attempted to reschedule the event on four separate occasions, all of which were cancelled due to the pandemic and cost the club critical amounts of money.

The festival, which first began in April 2014, has become a much-anticipated event in Ponteland's social calendar.

More than 100 beers and lagers, along with 40 types of cider, will accompany street food and live entertainment.

This year, there will also be a gin bar, as well as prosecco, various wines, and soft drinks.

The performance line-up will include the bands Folk Soul Brothers, Union Street, Maverick Rejects, Redwings, and Bay 6.

Proceeds from the beer festival go to the Rugby Club, but they make various contributions to local charities.

We've taken a look back through our archives to see people enjoying the festival over the years...