Working at the Kent Beer Festival

Who organises and works at the festival?

The Kent Beer Festival is organised and staffed by unpaid volunteer members of the Campaign for Real Ale. If you're a CAMRA member and would like to give some time to help promote real ale, please read on!

Staff are needed to help with various activities at the festival, working on the bar - in particular, during the busy Friday evening session - and helping with the set up and breakdown of the event.

Do I need to be a CAMRA member to work at the Festival?

Yes, you do. However, if, having read this information, you fancy helping out but are not a CAMRA member, please do consider joining!

As a CAMRA member, you will get free admission to all sessions of the Kent Beer Festival (except Friday evening) as well as to many other CAMRA beer festivals around the country. You'll also receive the monthly "What's Brewing" Members newsletter, which contains listings of all CAMRA beer festivals and local branch social activities. For more information about CAMRA and how to join, go to www.camra.org.uk

Staff benefits

You don't get paid (all staff are volunteers) but you will have great fun working at the festival, make new friends and do your bit to help the CAMRA cause. All staff are entitled to a drink or two whilst working and there's an end of festival staff party and BBQ. You will also be invited to the annual festival staff outing - after the 2006 event we went to Bruges for the day and after the 2007 one we went to Southwold.

What jobs need to be done?

There's lots to be done before the festival on Wednesday 15th July to set up the stillage, bar areas, stage etc - if you can spare a few hours between 10am-5pm, we'll find a job for you! We also need help with the breakdown of the event on the morning of Sunday 19th July.

During the festival itself, staff work on the bar, behind the scenes dealing with site matters, on the gate, on the shuttle bus and selling glasses and tokens. Let us know what you fancy doing and we'll try our best to accommodate you.

Want to find out more?

If you'd like to find out more, please contact the Kent Beer Festival Staffing Manager, Andy Mitchell, on amitchell1610@btinternet.com