GAVIN AITCHISON gets in the festival mood.

ROLL out the barrel and on with the fun; it’s festival time once more. The banners are up; the mats are down; the beers are ready and the scene is set. So let’s crack on.

If you’ve plans for tonight, change them. If you’re meant to be somewhere, cancel. Sack it off, make up an excuse, do whatever it takes. Just make sure you head instead to Thorganby, because that’s the place to be tonight if you want good beer, good music and a friendly atmosphere.

That’s where, in the village hall, locals and enthusiasts will be gathering in their droves for the Thorganby Real Ale Festival, the 21st such event and so something of a landmark for the organisers and die-hards.

Nowadays, it seems every town, village and community group in the country is jumping on the beer festival bandwagon, understandably keen to capitalise on the real ale revolution. But these guys in Thorganby have been at it since the far-flung days of 1991. (You remember... The break-up of the Soviet Union; that tackle by Gazza; that song by Bryan Adams – and real ale still struggling). So they deserve some kudos.

Year after year, they’ve slogged away to raise money for their village hall, the playing field and the kids’ play park, selflessly drinking pints – not for fun, but for the good of their community.

And if that doesn’t merit a pat on the back and a pint at the bar, then what does?!

So get yourself along and join the celebrations and – if you’ve not done so before – discover the captivating appeal of the village beer fest.

Lap up the bonhomie; cherish the camaraderie; make yourself at home. The beer alone is great and once you chuck in the food, the commemorative glass, the hoped-for sunshine and the music (including a final performance from local band Phatts) it all adds up to a cracking evening.

The event runs from 6.30pm to 11.30pm. There is an admission charge in aid of village hall funds. The bus from York takes 25 minutes from Merchantgate. And there’s a list of beers below. If you get to Thorganby early, you could do much worse than stop off at the Jefferson Arms or the multi-award winning Ferry Boat Inn.

That’s that sorted. Now all I need to do is get out of my dinner plans for this evening, so I can see you there.

Thorganby Beer Festival includes: TBF21 and Thriller in Vanilla (both from Brown Cow Brewery); Wolds Way (Wold Top); Groundsman Hop (Tigertops); Solstice Summer Ale (Raw); Molly’s Toffee Jar (Elland); Solstice (Five Towns); Burnmoor P’Ale (Great Gable); Tag Lag (Barngates); Flying Elephants (Ulverston); Yorkshire Navigator (Great Heck); Mekon (Empire) and Long Daze (York Brewery).

There are also ciders, perries, soft drinks and – whisper it – wine.

IF you can’t make it to Thorganby, don’t despair – there are more festivals just around the corner.

Next Thursday to Sunday, The Waggon and Horses in Lawrence Street is holding its summer festival, an annual and excellent event with 20 real ales from across Yorkshire, spread over two bars (one inside, one in the garden).

From Friday to Sunday, the Pitchside Bar at York City FC’s ground is hosting the fourth Bootham Crescent Beer Festival. Admission for the weekend is £6, which includes a festival glass, programme, and two half-pints.

Finally, next Saturday at The Slip in Clementhorpe, Marble and Summer Wine breweries are doing battle in a head to head. There will be seven ales from each, plus music and food.

Beer drinkers will be Roman around York today, as various pubs take part in a special bar crawl.

Those involved include the Artful Dodger in Micklegate and the City Screen Bar in Coney Street, which will be showing Roman-themed films; Pivní in Patrick Pool, which is holding a toga party; and the Golden Fleece in Pavement.

Follow Gav at twitter @pintsofview for news, views and chat throughout the week.