Norwich Beer Festival 2026: back at The Halls, 26-31 Oct

The 47th Norwich Beer Festival runs from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October 2026, and for the first time since 2023 it is back inside The Halls. Norwich and District CAMRA has confirmed the dates on its own festival pages, and its FAQ answers the question people actually type: “Will there be a Norwich Beer Festival in 2026? Yes! From October 26-31.”

That is worth stating plainly, because the festival has had an unusual two years.

Why it was away, and what happened in 2025

The festival has been held at The Halls, the medieval friary made up of St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls, since 1977. The branch lists only three interruptions in that run: 1989, 2020 for the pandemic, and 2024 to 2025, when critical repairs were carried out on the building.

There was no festival at all in 2024. In 2025 the branch ran a 46th festival anyway, but split across three venues and stretched over 17 days because the work on the roof and windows overran:

• 17 to 19 October: launch event at the Redwell Brewery tap room
• 17 October to 2 November: a fringe festival in Norwich pubs
• 27 to 29 October: part one at the Waterfront
• 30 October to 1 November: part two at Castle Social, level 3 of Castle Quarter

There was no admission charge anywhere in 2025, and the souvenir glass was only made in a pint size. The branch describes that year as “much smaller than usual”, which is why it has invited the same charity, the Norfolk breast reconstruction support charity Keeping Abreast, back for a second year as its 2026 beneficiary.

Sessions, times and door prices

Prices below are what you pay in cash or by card on the door, taken from the branch’s own dates, times and prices page.

The two £8 sessions are the Thursday and Friday evenings, which are also the only two the branch warns about for queues. Its FAQ says that in cold or wet weather there are usually no queues from 20 to 30 minutes after opening, “except for short periods between about 7 and 8.30pm on Thursday and Friday night”.

The cheapest way in is the £3 Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday lunchtime. CAMRA members get in free at every session, but the branch is explicit that they still have to join the queue.

Advance tickets: what you are actually buying

Advance tickets are sold through CAMRA’s Tckty platform at a £1 premium over the door price. The important thing is that the headline figure is not an admission price. A Monday evening non-member ticket is £31, made up of the £5 entry, a £5 souvenir glass and a £20 beer card. The glass and the card are both refundable, so the real cost of the evening is whatever you drink. Member versions of the same tickets are £25, because members do not pay to get in.

Three practical points from the branch:

• Only about 40% of capacity is ever sold in advance, and there are cash and card admissions on the door at every session. No session is all-ticket.
• A ticket guarantees entry during the first two hours of a session, subject to the ticket queue, and priority entry after that.
• Bars work on beer cards, not cash. Extra £20 beer cards and £5 glasses can be bought in advance and collected at the glasses stand, or bought on the day.

Rules that catch people out

Strictly over-18s, and the branch spells out that this includes babies. Only support dogs. No re-admission and no pass-outs. Last admission is 30 minutes before the session closes. There is no cloakroom anywhere in the building, which matters on a wet night in late October.

Getting there

The Halls sit on St Andrew’s Plain in the middle of the city, a few minutes’ walk from Norwich Market and from the Prince of Wales Road bus stops. It is not a venue with a car park. If you are driving in, our parking in Norwich page has the multi-storey and park-and-ride options, and the Norwich roadworks and travel page carries anything closed that week.

What is still to come

The branch has not yet published the 2026 beer list, cider and perry list, or festival programme. In 2025 all three went up shortly before the doors opened, along with the pub fringe insert. We will update this page when they appear.

For festival enquiries the branch gives organiser@norwichbeerfestival.org.uk.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Norwich Beer Festival 2026?

Monday 26 to Saturday 31 October 2026. It is the 47th festival, and Norwich and District CAMRA has confirmed the dates on its own festival pages and in its FAQ.

Where is the Norwich Beer Festival held?

The Halls, on St Andrew’s Plain in the city centre. That is the medieval friary made up of St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls, which has hosted the festival since 1977. The 2026 festival is the first back in the building after structural repairs to the roof and windows.

How much does it cost to get in?

Between £3 and £8 on the door, depending on the session. The £3 lunchtimes are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The £8 sessions are the Thursday and Friday evenings. CAMRA members get in free at every session but still have to queue.

Do I need to book in advance?

No. Only about 40 per cent of capacity is sold in advance and there are cash and card admissions on the door at every session. An advance ticket costs £1 more, includes a refundable £5 glass and £20 beer card, and guarantees entry during the first two hours of the session.

Can I take children to the Norwich Beer Festival?

No. It is strictly over-18s at every session, and the organisers state that this includes babies. Only support dogs are allowed.

Was there a Norwich Beer Festival in 2024 and 2025?

There was none in 2024. In 2025 a smaller 46th festival ran across three venues, the Redwell Brewery tap room, the Waterfront and Castle Social at Castle Quarter, because repairs at The Halls overran.

Sources

Norwich Beer Festival, dates, times and prices, 47th Norwich Beer Festival 2026, advance tickets, FAQ, the venue, 46th Norwich Beer Festival 2025 and the Tckty ticket listing, all Norwich and District CAMRA, checked 6 September 2026.