Macclesfield Beer Festival has been and gone.

And the Wincle and Bollington Beer Festival are both still a month away.

But a nearby beer festival has upped the ante in the Macclesfield beers they stock, which could see you taking a trip to Stockport.

The countdown is on to CAMRA's Stockport Beer and Cider Festival, which returns to Stockport Guildhall for 2024 from Thursday June 20th to Saturday 22nd. The Festival will feature over 250 different beers, ciders and perries, as well as food and entertainment.

Macclesfield breweries represented include Bollington Brewery, where their festival special blonde ale will be the first to be brewed at their new brewery. Not to be outdone is RedWillow, who will be supplying an exclusive version of their strong Dubbel Mild which has been aged in a Calvados barrel, as well as several different beers in cans.

(Image - Stockport Beer Festival)

Beartown Brewery from Congleton will also have a number of beers available, as will Neighbourhood Brewery from Poynton.

There have been some changes since last year's Stockport Beer Festival, with more seating, both inside and out, as well as more space and better cooling and ventilation. For the first time, there will also be a small key-keg bar run in conjunction with Stockport's own Runaway Brewery.

Over 170 cask beers will be available, covering many different styles; from Milds and Bitters to India Pale Ales and Stouts. This year, beers collected from breweries in Scotland and North East England will feature, and there are also beers from plenty of local breweries.

Several milds will be featured from around the North West, as well as the beers brewed at a commercial brewery by the winners of the CAMRA Stockport Homebrewers Competition. The winning beers will be found on Bar Nouveau, which also features brand new beers from local breweries which have never been seen before.

The real ciders and perries come from a wide variety of small producers across England and Wales. There will also be a selection of bottled and canned beers from Europe and the UK which will include some low and no alcohol examples.

(Image - Stockport Beer Festival)

The entertainment, which is in a separate room, is curated by The Stockport Music Story and Seven Miles Out, and features a number of local bands. The England match on 20th will be shown live.

Sick children and child loss charity Reuben's Retreat, from Glossop, is this year's Beer Festival Charity, and they will have a stand featuring several beers, as well as offering soft drinks and snacks.

The Beer Festival opens at 5.30pm on Thursday and at noon on Friday and Saturday. Bars close at 11pm on Thursday and Friday and 9.30pm on Saturday. Admission on the door is £4, and £2 for CAMRA members. You can also buy an advance package for £16.50 (£15 for CAMRA members) which covers express entry, £10 worth of beer tokens and a refundable glass.

If you are not a CAMRA member, the staff on the membership stand can tell you about the benefits of membership, which includes discount vouchers valid nationwide as well as a free pint at the festival, and also at CAMRA's local Pub of the Year, Heaton Hops in Heaton Moor. You can also purchase beer related books and products at the product stall.

Jim Flynn, Festival Organiser, said "Once again, we are offering the largest variety of beers, ciders and perries in the area all under one roof, so there will be something to tickle everyone's taste buds. Our volunteer staff have a wide experience of the drinks available, and will be able to find something to your taste.

Bollington Brewery - now based in Macclesfield - is one of the Macclesfield breweries part of the line-up. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

There's entertainment, food and souvenirs available too, so please come along and see what we have to offer. A good day out is guaranteed."

Advance tickets and further information is available on the festival website.