Mumbles Beer Festival 2003, Real Ale and traditional cider

Mumbles Beer Festival

In the mid 1990s, a group of Mumbles real ale enthusiasts formed MADRAS (Mumbles and District Real Ale Society). They decided to hold a Beer Festival in the village and joined forces with Swansea CAMRA. The Ostreme Hall was booked and in August 1997, the first festival was underway. The event has gone from strength to strength and has become an important part of the Mumbles social calendar. As well as providing a bewildering variety of different ales, the festivals feature live music and even magic shows. The festival has also recognised important local anniversaries — as well as the centenary of Mumbles Pier in 1998, Dylan Thomas's 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2003 and the bicentennial of the Mumbles Railway in 2004. Local celebrities have opened the festival each year by pulling a pint of specially-brewed ale. In 1999 there was great hilarity when Cyril the Swan (mascot of Swansea City FC) performed the honours. In the same year, the festival made national headlines when a local bridal party called in to the festival on the way to the church! The festival supports the Mumbles Lifeboat and celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2006.