The organisers of this year’s Independent Baldock Beer Festival hope that the punters will arrive in their droves to Brandles School today to have their whistles well and truly wetted for a worthy cause.

It is the ninth year of the beer festival but its first as a registered charity, and the team are hoping that as many people as possible will toast the good news with them.

Tara Geere, who chairs the Independent Baldock Beer Festival Charitable Trust, said: “We have received amazing support from local people and businesses, enabling us to build on our success year on year, raising money to give back to the community.

“To date, more than £30,000 has been donated locally.

“Alongside our usual fundraising, we will also be supporting the Garden House Hospice with a raffle, Apple Cottage Cider is donating its special branch cider and apple juice to raise money for Addenbrookes Charitable Trust, and we will be raising funds for the Balstock music festival.

“This year we have 68 real ales, 15 continental beers and 41 ciders, with a good range of food, soft drinks and entertainment including an amazing line up of 34 bands and artists across the whole weekend.

“Please come down to Brandles School, have a drink and help support this great charity event – and don’t worry about the weather as we have large marquees with heaters.”

The beer festival – which runs between 5pm and 11pm today, midday until 11pm tomorrow and 12 noon until 8pm on Sunday – is just the start of a host of entertainment in the town as the Baldock Festival takes centre stage.

The team at Tapps Garden Centre are running an exhibition featuring work from members who attend art classes across the town – it opens tomorrow and runs until May 15.

Wool-n-things are holding a Love Your Yarn Shop Day event at their Hitchin Street shop tomorrow, while an exhibition on Baldock’s Turnpike is opening up at the town museum on Sunday.

On Bank Holiday Monday there will be musicians gathering in the High Street for an Irish Music Festival – as well as a chilli cook off at The Engine pub. For a full list of events go to www.baldockfestival.org.