York’s annual CAMRA beer festival is having to find a new home for 2023 as the Knavesmire is staging racing that week.

York CAMRA staged its first event in three years at York racecourse during September 14-17, but the turnout was well down on the pre-covid era.

In 2022, over 5,700 visited the festival, compared with 8,600 in 2019.

York CAMRA’s beer festival is one of the largest festivals in the country, with 500 different beers, 90 ciders, plus wine, mead and gin.

Some 91 hand-pulls and more than 300 gravity dispense casks were installed for the event,  creating the longest bar in Britain, if not Europe.

Festival organiser Karl Smith told the Press that last year’s festival was still “reasonably successful.”

However, turnout suffered due to the event being held in the week of national mourning following the death of Her Majesty the Queen, plus disruptions caused by nationwide train strikes.

Karl said: “Even some of our volunteers did not feel it was appropriate to go to a beer festival. Whilst we do get a lot of local support, a lot of our clientele comes from around the UK.”

He continued: “That made all the difference. It’s an expensive event to put on. There’s the marquee, the site, the electricals.”

Altogether, York CAMRA made “a slight loss” from the 2022 festival, which following the racecourse running events in September this year, is forcing a re-think, raising the prospect it will be held elsewhere.

Last month, York CAMRA announced in its Ouse Boozer magazine the festival faced a new date or venue or both for the event and CAMRA would investigate options over the winter.

Karl told the Press: “We have come to the conclusion the racecourse event may have had its day.”

He and others are seeking alternative smaller sites, but York has few venues that can hold 1000.

York CAMRA has a shortlist of possible sites but is keen to hear of any others.

Karl added York CAMRA hopes to make a decision in the next month or two as to when and where the festival will take place.

York racecourse spokesman James Brennan confirmed that races were being held on September 10 and 23 as part of a racing sector initiative to spread the season post-Covid, which meant using the venue for racing in the usual period of the beer festival.

He said: “We have been delighted to host York CAMRA for many years. We hope to host them this year and other years.”

“We need to try and find alternative slots. We have asked if there are other weeks that might work. We are trying to work together. It’s one of those things.”

Anyone who may have a suitable location for a beer festival can email Karl at:
organiser@yorkbeerfestival.camra.org.uk