Beer Con
A top night of beer, street food, live music and laughs
A top night of beer, street food, live music and laughs, Norwich’s Beercon has been a huge success so far. And there is still time to get your tickets! Running from the 2nd to 4th of April, the beer festival has welcomed a diverse crowd of all ages with one common love: alcohol. The event is held at 24 St Mary’s Plain in the city centre, which is easily accessible from the train station or bus routes.
What I loved about this event was the atmosphere created, and the sense of community. I felt engulfed in the culture, and the building had that British pub feeling. As you walk in there are rows of brewers from across the globe, behind which friendly staff who know their stuff pour pints into complementary glasses.
I spoke to Mark who has spent months planning the event and bringing it to life. His main objective was to make a beer festival with emphasis on the festival aspect so made it as engaging as possible. He wanted to encourage younger audiences to get involved as he didn’t want it to have the typical beer festival demographic.
Speaking on this he said “we’re pleased we have nabbed the attention of everyone, there’s a good spread of ages…with the younger generation not drinking as much it’s really nice to see them engaging in these types of events”
Downstairs there was a bustling feeling of excitement and chat while a DJ and live band played. Local band High Points were a crowd pleasing sensation, playing a mixture of their own hits and pub classics. People were dancing to their music but I liked that they weren’t too loud so you could still talk to people. There was also a hilarious recreation of the classic ‘sh*t pub’, with iconic English pints, a really gross patterned carpet and a dart board.
High Points Band See here
As you head upstairs, the band can still be heard through a speaker, a clever way of carrying the atmosphere throughout the building. Heading up, it feels like you are at a completely different event, and the mood is a lot more calm, so head up there if you want to play some games or relax.
Upstairs See Here
Mark said it best himself, “I think we’ve created a really good juxtaposition between the modern strip of quality beers downstairs and the silly old school boozer upstairs”. Rows of benches were filled with friends chatting away upstairs, and it had a pub garden sort of feel. There were engaging activities, such as a table tennis table, dart board and a photo booth, so “you experience something new in every bit”.
My favourite thing about this event was of course, the alcohol. The range was immense, and options endless. I ended up trying a cider I had never even heard of (just because it was pink) and loved it. The range of wines, spirits and ciders was incredible, and the bar staff had good knowledge of the drinks. They also had alcohol free versions of popular drinks for those who drive.
Not only is it a fun night out, there are also educational aspects to it. Each session has talks, ranging from how to design a beer can, to how to brew to the history of the industry. This is another great engaging activity to do, as Beercon isn’t another beer festival, where you have a pint and stand around. There was something special about the ambience created, and there was always something to do, look at or explore. You can tell how much work has gone into creating such an incredible event, and I can’t wait for the next one.
