Rail Ale four-day festival celebrates 25th anniversary with 400 beers, wine and live music in giant marquee

Derbyshire Rail Ale Festival, one of the biggest events in the region for train and beer enthusiasts, is set to delight fans this spring over four days.

The Rail Ale Festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with an epic event running from Thursday May 15, to Sunday May 18, 2025.

There will be over 400 real ales on offer from around the country including many brewed locally in Derbyshire and south Yorkshire.

Also served will be ciders and craft beers, Rail Ale Gin Palace and a sprinkling of sparkle with a prosecco and wine bar.

The Street Food Court will be on hand to provide you with a tasty range of food to suit every appetite from pork pies to pizza and hog roast to noodles.

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Between 12pm and 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the popular Rail Ale train will be running for visitors.

The dedicated shuttle bus service will also be running from Chesterfield railway station into the festival on all four days.

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Music fans can head to the marquee and main stage to listen to massively diverse genres for this very special edition, from jazz, brass and acoustic, to funk, soul and rock and roll.

Live entertainment includes performances from Queen tribute band Flash who are back on the Roundhouse stage following a Rail Ale 2023 debut.

Headlining on Friday night will be Jungle Lion, the 10-piece Sheffield-based SKA and reggae band.

On Saturday the Rail Ale Festival will go into Swedish super group mode with Lets ABBA Party.

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What is hailed by organisers as a ‘must do event for country music fans’ will see Sunday afternoon dedicated to all things Americana.

Nashville at The Roundhouse will showcase leading artists from around the UK including Shania & Friends, a tribute to the queen of country pop, Shania Twain.

Where to buy tickets for Rail Ale Festival 2025

People can buy tickets for each session of the festival or treat themselves to a four-day Rail Ale Weekend Pass.

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The full weekend pass includes entry to Rail Ale Rock Night on May 15, and Nashville at The Roundhouse on May 18.

Here is the link with all sessions available listed: seetickets.com/tour/rail-ale-2025

If you want to ‘go all out’ then camper vans, caravan and tent pitches are available for all four nights of the Rail Ale Festival.

Pitches are available on a first come, first served basis.

Age restrictions apply; the Rail Ale Festival website says ‘children are welcomed, all under 18s must leave the festival by 6pm on each day, this is strictly an adults-only event from 6pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday’.

Location: Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre, Campbell Drive, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 2PR

For more information click here: railalefestival.com