The 2025 Dorchester Beerex in Dorchester’s Corn Exchange will be held on Friday January 31st & Saturday February 1st 2025 contrary to a previous press release.
The festival originally advertised as a week later was highlighted to the Beerex committee made up of members of West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) & Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary Club when a sharp-eared employee of Dorchester Arts, who manage the bookings at the Corn Exchange, was listening to local Dorchester radio station KeeP 106 who were talking about the upcoming festival. It suddenly appeared that there was either a double booking of the Corn Exchange or a confusion of dates. The Chair woman Gemma Scott was immediately informed of the problem. On hearing of the news the committee realised they were fortunate in the fact that the last day of January and first day of February were still available to hire.
A spokesperson for Dorchester Beerex said “We were extremely reluctant to cancel or move the festival to a later date, as we have a very loyal customer base that continually supports us and we would also be letting down local good causes.”
The festival now in its 36th year has so far raised funds in excess of £277K and the organisers of the 2025 event are hoping to hit the £300K mark. The 2024 festival raised a record breaking £27.5K, all made possible by the generous support of local companies and brewery’s through barrel sponsorship.
If you are a company who would like to be associated with the growing success of Dorchester Beerex and feel you can help, please contact Dave Harris the sponsorship coordinator on 07977918130 or via www.beerex.co.uk
The 2025 festival will welcome for the 3rd year running the local award winning Cerne Abbas Brewery who will have a selection of ales on offer and be in attendance over the weekend. This festival year’s charity is the Somerset & Dorset Blood Bikes, motorcyclists that give up their time to voluntarily courier vital medical supplies to where needed.
The festival will showcase over 80 “Real Ales” served directly from the cask, complemented by a large selection of traditional ciders. The evening sessions will feature live music while conversation and banter will rule at lunchtime. There will be a raffle at all four sessions with funds going directly to the Dorchester Youth & Community Centre.
Tickets will go on sale from December 1st priced £11 per session and customers receive a commemorative glass, colour festival programme with full beer & cider list with tasting notes and a free first pint.
Confirmed ticket outlets are.
Dorchester: Copper St Brewery Tap, Convivial Rabbit & Tom Browns pub plus the Brace of Butchers, Poundbury.
Weymouth: The Globe Pub.
On-line. www.camrawdorset.org.uk
Photo Caption. Left-Right
Les Fry, Rich Bates, Adrian Carey, Festival Chair Gemma Scott, West Dorset CAMRA Chair Bruce Mead & Sponsorship Co coordinator Dave Harris. Photo Credit: Rich Gabe.