WX Wakefield Exchange hosts the Big Jolly Beer & Ale Weekend

Monday, July 07, 2025

Real-ale festivities are coming to Wakefield Exchange.

The Big Jolly Beer & Ale Weekend features tours and toe-tapping tunes as part of Wakefield BID’s Beer & Ale Week 2025 (Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 July).

“This will be a fabulous celebration of real ale, craft beer, and good old-fashioned merriment at WX - Wakefield Exchange.

“Wakefield has a growing reputation for real ale. And this event will be a fun way to showcase the craft and the community behind the brew, with music and events.”

Cllr Hannah Appleyard

Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport.

Cllr Hannah Appleyard

Highlights include behind-the-scenes brewery tours at The Exchange Tap, an evening of ales and tales in conversation with the Jolly Boys. Plus, live music ranging from raucous ceili to high-energy brass.

The weekend opens with a special beer-themed edition of WX’s regular quiz night, Colin All Quizzers (Thursday 10 July, 8pm), followed on Friday 11 July by two standout events: In Conversation with the Jolly Boys (7pm), offering insider stories from the Jolly Boys brew team, and The Brew Hoolie (8pm), an unmissable ceili with The Hooliemen and a guest performance from Morris dancing troupe Wath Morris.

Saturday 12 July offers guided brewery tours (3pm & 6pm), plus an evening set from genre-busting brass outfit Deadbeat Brass (7.30pm–10pm). 

The festival wraps up on Sunday with a relaxed lunchtime performance by the Knottingley Silver Band (1pm–3pm) and a final brewery tour at 3pm. 

Entry is FREE, but the brewery tours require pre-booking due to limited capacity.

For details, visit: wxwakefield.co.uk/Whats-On

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