DRINKS were flowing, the crowds were dancing and the sun actually shone for the 21st annual South Cotswolds Beer and Music Festival in Chipping Sodbury.

The coming-of-age event was one of the most successful ever with all tickets sold weeks in advance for Saturday and a good number of revellers on Friday evening with more than 1,800 people attending in total.

The two-day celebration of beer and music, at Chipping Sodbury Rugby Club, is the largest non-CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) beer festival in the South West and served up nearly 100 different real ales, 22 popular ciders and a variety of good quality wines.

Organisers Yate and District Rotary Club said they were thrilled with the support from the local community as well as volunteers who helped run the event.

David Picton, from the club, said: “The fine weather allowed the happy festival goers to stay outside well into the evening on both days with big crowds dancing under the stars.

“The event arena had been enlarged this year to make it more comfortable for large family groups on Saturday afternoon and free camping was fully allocated to many travellers who attended from across the UK.

“Members of Yate Rotary Club were pleased they had fantastic support from the local community as they welcomed old friends and newcomers to their first beer festival, who we are sure we shall see again.

“The success of the Rotary effect was proven by the generous amount of time given to them by the 120 friends, family, and many other clubs who volunteer to help. We thank all those who volunteered their time to enable the event to occur.”

Rotarian Roger Allen, who selects the beers for this event, sourced them from around the country providing different types to individual tastes. There were golden beers, amber, dark, Porters, milds, and modern citrus beers, lager-style beers and even one containing elderflower as well as two wheat beers which were, unusually, not cloudy. Craft ale was well represented with brews from 10 local craft and micro-breweries from the Gloucestershire and Bristol areas.

Food was also sourced locally and cooked freshly on the spot and musical entertainment came in a wide range of styles from Tijuana Bible and The Tubby Bluesters to The Ray Jones Band, GPS, The Great eSKApe and very local nine-piece acapella group The Frampton Shanty Men.

Added Mr Picton: “Yate Rotary Club has grossed close to £250,000 over 20 beer and music festivals for charitable causes and are hoping that proceeds from this, the 21st event, will push them over that peak.

“We are pleased to bring the Rotary effect to the South Cotswold Beer and Music Festival for everyone to enjoy and enable them to help others who are less fortunate.”