Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 2024 Beer and Music Festival: What to look out for

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) is getting ready for its annual Beer and Music Festival in October, with a combination of craft beers, live music and historic train rides. If you like local ales or just love the idea of combining a vintage railway experience with good beer and music then this is the event for you.

Over several days the festival takes over the entire 5 mile railway from Keighley to Oxenhope and becomes a festival goer’s paradise. Whether you’re a beer connoisseur or a music fan the KWVR Festival has got it.

A special place: Beer and music on rails

The event’s magic is in the setting: a heritage steam railway running through the beautiful Brontë country of West Yorkshire. Imagine sipping a local beer as you travel in a vintage train carriage through rolling hills. The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is famous for its views and was also the location for filming of The Railway Children so it’s a nostalgic experience.

This year’s festival will be the best one yet with main events taking place at Oxenhope Exhibition Shed and Ingrow West station yard. These two locations will be the central hubs for the festival with a range of drinks and music.

Breweries and drinks

One of the stars of the show is the breweries. In 2024 five breweries will be setting up at Ingrow Yard with a great selection of beers. Not all the breweries may be household names but beer enthusiasts will know Timothy Taylor’s from Keighley who will be on one of the festival’s themed trains: The Landlord Flyer. The second train is The Ossett Brewery Express and features Ossett Brewery another local favourite.

In addition to the beer options you can sample from 90 cask ales, ciders, wines, gins and low or non-alcoholic drinks so there’s something for everyone even if beer isn’t your tipple.

Music: A full programme of local acts

What’s a festival without music? This year the KWVR festival will have 30 live bands and solo artists across a range of genres. Indie rock to folk, there’ll be something to get you dancing. The performances will be taking place across different venues on the railway so you can enjoy live music in several different locations.

Whether you prefer a quiet beer while listening to acoustic sets or dancing to a full band, this festival has you covered.

2024 info

This year is going to be busier than ever so we’ve made some changes to help manage the crowds and make sure everyone has a great time. If you’re coming along you’ll need to book your tickets in advance for Saturday 19th October as only pre-booked visitors will be allowed in. This helps with the busy areas like Oxenhope Exhibition Centre and Ingrow Yard.

Weekend Rover tickets will get you into all the festival venues, including both beer and music hubs so you won’t miss out on anything.

In conclusion: Not to be missed

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Beer and Music Festival isn’t just for beer enthusiasts—it’s a full on experience. With the smell of steam engines in the air, the taste of local brews on your lips and the sound of live music in the train stations it’s an event that will transport you back in time while celebrating the best of modern craft beer and music.

To book tickets and for travel and event info see the KWVR website.