Beer and cider lovers will be descending on Great Yarmouth next month as the town’s St George’s Theatre stages a popular annual event.

The theatre will be playing host to the Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival between Thursday, May 18 and Sunday, May 21.

This will be the fifth time that the beer festival has been held at the theatre since its renovation was completed in 2013.

It is also the eleventh spring-time ale and cider festival held in the town since it was launched in 2007. The festival will see more than 50 real ales and ciders on tap from regional and national brewers.

All the beers and ciders are selected by beer sommelier Day Harvey who will be on hand during the festival to discuss the selections and ensure that the beers are kept at their optimum over the weekend.

The festival will be open for a number of lunch and evening sessions starting with the opening on Thursday, May 18 May at 5pm.

This will be followed by lunch time sessions between 11am and 3pm and evening sessions between 5pm to 11pm on the Friday and Saturday.

It finishes with a lunch time session between 11am to 3pm on Sunday, May 21.

As in previous years, live music will play an important part of the festival.

There will also be food and snacks available in the pavilion building next door along with a selection of alternative refreshments and, weather permitting, tables and chairs for festival goers to enjoy their food and beer outside.

Advance tickets for all sessions are now available through the St Georges Theatre booking office with prices varying from £3.00 to £5.00 depending on the session attended. Great Yarmouth Mercury readers can get £1 off advance tickets for the festival by entering ‘Mercury1’ when booking on line at www.stgeorgestheatre.com or by quoting the same code over the phone or in person to the box office on 01493 331484.

The discount code will only be active until May 12.