Aberdeenshire’s Midsummer Beer Happening announces 2020 dates for beer festival

The dates for a popular beer festival have been announced.

The annual Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven is to take place next year from June 18 to 20.

A not-for-profit event, organised by beer fans for beer fans, it celebrates craft brewing as well as offering a range of different street foods and musical entertainment.

Each year, it attracts thousands of visitors to its purpose-built marquee in Stonehaven’s Baird Park.

It will be the 11th time it has taken place, with the previous year attracting 6,000 people and raising £52,000 for good causes.

Money went towards Stonehaven groups such as the Men’s Shed, Sea Cadets, Youth Football Club, Rhythm Nation Dance and Fitness, the cycling club, Mackie FP youth rugby, Pillar Partnership and Lions Club.

Robert Lindsay, organiser of the Midsummer Beer Happening and founder of Stonehaven-based Six Degrees North, said: “With the winter solstice almost upon us, we thought we’d brighten the long dark nights with some good news about the Happening at the summer solstice.

“Even as we were packing up last year’s 10th anniversary festival, people were asking us for the dates for the next one.

“Not only can we now reveal those, we can also let people know to always keep the third weekend in June clear so they can join in the fun of this three-day celebration of brilliant beer, fantastic food and marvellous music.”

As well as confirming the dates for 2020, organisers have revealed that these dates have also been locked in for years to come.

The festival will now take place on the third weekend of June every year for the foreseeable future.

Robert said: “Our challenge now is to make the Happening bigger and better for everyone who comes along to enjoy the party – and we do like a challenge.

“After all, it has grown from a festival of Scottish real ale organised by some beer fans in Stonehaven’s Town Hall to one of the biggest events in the north-east – if not the country.

“Now there’s a huge array of beer from the best brewers across the UK, Europe and North America, street food from award-winning local producers and the finest musical talent the north-east has to offer.

“All that has been achieved by a willing and hard-working band of volunteers staging a not-for-profit event for the sheer fun of it.

“We always say we are putting on the sort of beer festival we would want to go to.

“And we are delighted so many people love it too.”

As well as showcasing beers, the Midsummer Beer Happening also has an additional element of a cycling sportive, which is held on the Saturday.

First introduced five years ago, it offers keen cyclists three different routes – 52 miles, 70 miles or 100 miles – all of which take in the Cairn o’Mount.

Entries for next year’s sportive will officially open on Christmas Eve. Tickets for the festival will go on sale early next year.

For more information on the event, and to register for tickets for either event, visit http://midsummerbeerhappening.co.uk/