The first-ever winter edition of the Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival gets under way today at St George's Theatre.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The first afternoon session of the Winter Beer and Cider Festival at St George’s Theatre.November 2015.Picture: James BassThe first afternoon session of the Winter Beer and Cider Festival at St George’s Theatre.November 2015.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2015)

The three day event comes after the highly successful annual festival which is held in the theatre in May each year.

The festival will feature over 50 real ales, craft beers and ciders, many of which will be coming from local brewers such as Lacons, who will be bringing their award winning bitter, Encore.

Other Norfolk brewers that will be represented at the festival include Beestons, Bullards, Fat Cat, Green Jack, St Peters and Woodfordes.

Town centre manager, Jonanthan Newman said: 'There seems to be a buzz around the place about the winter festival and plenty of people are talking about it so I hope to see lots of the regulars , and also new visitors, there over the weekend.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The first afternoon session of the Winter Beer and Cider Festival at St George’s Theatre.November 2015.Picture: James BassThe first afternoon session of the Winter Beer and Cider Festival at St George’s Theatre.November 2015.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2015)

'The main reason we have organised the winter festival is due to the number of the people in the summer saying how great it would be to have more than one in the year. We spoke with Lacons Brewery about the possibility of a winter festival and they were more than happy to give their support.'

Ciders such as Aspalls, Weston and Broadoak will also be on offer and there will be a mystery beer competition for everybody to enter.

Alongside all of the beer there will also be a selection of food on offer at the Theatre Pavilion, including chilli, burgers and a range of baguettes.

There will be live performances throughout the weekend with the Georgia Shackleton Trio singing this evening, the Broadside Boys on Saturday evening and then the band Time Well Wasted and singer Ella Bruce will close the festival on Sunday lunchtime.

Mr Newman added: 'Friday night has proved to be the most popular with the public so far and there has been a great awareness of the festival so I am really looking forward to it.

'If all goes to plan and it proves to be as popular as I believe it will be then there is no reason why we can't turn this into an annual event like we have in May.'

The festival opens for lunch and evening sessions today and tomorrow, with the lunch sessions running between 11am and 3pm with the evening sessions running between 5pm and 11pm.

The closing session on Sunday session will then run between 11am and 4pm.

Entry on the door will be possible for all sessions whilst advance tickets are available for all sessions with the exception of the Sunday session. Entry prices vary from £2.00 to £5.00 depending on session.

For more information on the festival people can visit www.greatyarmouthbeerfestival.co.uk.