Wigan’s branch of CAMRA will celebrate 25 years and "still running" at this year’s Food and Drink Festival.

Members of the Campaign For Real Ale hopped on to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd steps of Robin Park Arena’s winners podium this week, pint in hand, to raise a toast to a quarter of a century of promoting real ale.

Once again the popular festival opens the town’s annual Food and Drink Festival on Thursday 1 March and this year they’ve issued a rallying call to make this year a really "hoppy" birthday.

Since the CAMRA beer festival first began back in 1988 at Wigan Pier an estimated half a million pints have been pulled for almost 100,000 visitors.
Back then at the Mill at the Pier it was just £1.10 a pint. Today Robin Park Sports Centre is home to the event which has outlived and outgrown many other beer festivals in the north west.

Ken Worthington is one of the organisers. He said: "We’re thrilled to be marking 25 years this March. We knew it was always going to be a popular event from the opening weekend when we ran out of beer but it’s a fabulous feeling to still be going strong 25 years on."
In 2009 the festival teamed up with the Wigan Food and Drink Festival, organised by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, and it’s a relationship that has gone from strength-to-strength.

Ken added: "Being part of the Food and Drink Festival has added another dimension to the event and last year was a record attendance with 4,600 visitors."
Throughout the ten days Wigan Food and Drink Festival will a host a raft of different events and activities including an Outdoor Market Kitchen Theatre, a Fine Food Trail around some of the best eateries in Wigan, celebrity chefs including Simon Rimmer and Jean-Christophe Novelli as well as scores of community events, a Continental Market and live music from the Lancashire Hotpots.

Keith Bergman, Food and Drink Festival organiser, said: "More than 40,000 people experienced some element of last year’s programme spending an estimated £250K.
"We broke records in 2011 with 4,600 people attending the Wigan CAMRA Beer Festival, more than 3,000 sampled the Kitchen Theatre and an estimated 20,000 tasted the delights of the Continental Market.
"The festival brings together and shines a spotlight on local restaurants, restaurateurs, chefs, suppliers and producers in a genuine celebration of what is good about Wigan Borough’s food and drink industry.
"In 2012, we are stretching our boundary to celebrate Greater Manchester produce and producers. Manchester’s very own and co-star of BBC’s Something for the Weekend - Simon Rimmer will be hosting events."

Fans of real ale can also tour round Wigan town centre’s Allgates Brewery as part of this year’s festival on Monday 5 March. Tickets cost £10 call 01942 828 527 to book.

The Wigan Food and Drink Festival 2012 would not be possible without the continued support of local restaurants and local sponsors including Hitchen Foods, Hazeldene, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Metrofresh, Ellseys, Rigalettos, FISWAL, Wigan Council, CAMRA, Wigan Observer, Visit Manchester and Food Connect – the Greater Manchester Food and Drink Industry Support Initiative (www.foodconnect.com).

For a full listing of events visit our brochure at www.wlct.org/foodanddrink