MUSIC fans will get the chance to venture into the land of Tolkien when the Middle Earth Beer and Music Festival opens tomorrow.
The three-day event, now in its ninth year, has moved to a new home - Waddow Hall near Clitheroe, which will allow festivalgoers the chance to camp for the first time.
The family-friendly festival has expanded to incorporate two stages for live performances and for the beer festival 35 cask ales, 10 keg beers and 20 ciders will be available.
The festival takes its name from the area’s close associations with Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien who regularly stayed at nearby Stonyhurst College. A number of locations in his works are believed to be have been inspired by locations in the area.
Festival organiser Simon Forster, who runs the Ale House in Clitheroe said: “We have had a lot of calls for camping and we wanted to keep the festival as local as possible to Stonyhurst so Waddow Hall is the ideal location.”
The main stage runs from 6pm tomorrow and will feature Blanty, Milky Bobbins, Sweeney Astray and headliners The Ragamuffins.
On Saturday, the main stage runs from 1.30pm and among the artists in the line-up are Purpletones, Good Foxy and George Borowski & The Fabulous Wonderfuls.
Sunday features the Ruby Tuesdays, Drop the Floor and the Swing Commanders.
On the new Firepit stage, a range of acoustic artists will be performing on Saturday and there will also be four performances from Ribcaged theatre, who will bring parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy to life. The night ends with storyteller Simon Entwistle telling ghost stories associated with Lancashire.
Members of the group, the Galactic Knights, will be at the festival dressed as characters from Lord of the Rings.
The various beers have been sponsored with all proceeds going to the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
A discounted minibus service will operate from the Ale House.
Middle Earth Beer and Music Festival, Waddow Hall, Clitheroe, Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18. Day tickets are available from www.middleearthbeerfestival.co.uk
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