THOUSANDS of pints will be served up this weekend at a beer festival.

The 11th Hitchin Beer Festival will be held in the town hall both tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.

The popular event, which saw a record number of people through its doors last year, will be serving up 74 different real ales - equalling 5,328 pints - as well as a selection of cider, perry and foreign beers.

Due to the closure of the town hall for refurbishment, it could be the last year the event is held there.

Brian Mason, from CAMRA North Herts, said: “This could be the last chance in the foreseeable future for everyone to enjoy a premier event at the town hall, because this will be the last festival here held in its present format.

“It would be nice to see as many people there as possible.

“Our plan is to have all the beers on all the time, and we will try to ensure that there should be enough beers on the Saturday evening.

“We have ensured that quite a few of the ales are from within 30 miles of the town hall, therefore reducing our carbon footprint.”

The event, which is organised by CAMRA North Herts and Hitchin Round Table, will run from 12 noon until 11pm on Friday, and 11am until 11pm on Saturday. Entry costs �2.50, and is free to CAMRA, round table, and ECBU members, as well as OAPs.

There will be the opportunity to join CAMRA at the festival, in which case entry will be refunded along with tokens for two pints of beer. There will also be members of the round table on hand to talk about their organisation.

• Going to the festival? Submit your pictures of the event by visiting iwitness24.co.uk