Faversham Hop Festival is back on Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1, with Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame, returning as principal sponsor for another year.

The Faversham-based independent family brewer and pub company has a host of hop-related offerings to top off the festivities through the weekend, including free beer and a rare glimpse into the brewery for families.

The town will come alive with music across four stages and in pubs and other venues throughout the town, with more than 70 bands and acts performing, dedicated busker areas and morris dancing, along with a fairground, magic shows and more.

A number of the brewer’s historic vehicles will feature in the morning parades through the town which traditionally open each day of the festival, organised by not-for-profit company Community Heritage Events Ltd., on behalf of Swale Borough Council.

Shepherd Neame is also sponsoring the main Brewery Stage over the weekend outside its Court Street brewery, with a music line-up that runs throughout the day from 10.45am until 5.20pm.

It has teamed up with Herne Bay artist Peter Gander to create a special Shepherd Neame Hop Spots map to help festivalgoers navigate the many venues and line-ups over the weekend, including its own nine pubs in the town. A digital copy of the map will be available online, and as a banner at selected Shepherd Neame pubs.

Shepherd Neame’s popular brewery tours are normally only open to adults, but festival goers of all ages will be able to enjoy special family tours throughout the weekend. Tours will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, with a family tour for two adults and up to four children costing £35, and a traditional tour priced £23.50 per person. Mini tours will also be held at a cost of £18.50 per person.

Beer lovers will be delighted to hear that seasonal favourite Late Red (4.5%) will be on offer at selected pubs during the weekend, alongside New World XPA (5.1%), the latest in Shepherd Neame’s Small Batch range of limited edition, craft keg beers.

This year’s limited edition green hop ale Hop Pocket (4.5%) will also be unveiled at the festival. Beer is usually brewed with dried hops, but Hop Pocket is made using fresh green hops which go from bine to beer in a matter of hours, giving it a delicious aroma and earthy kick. Shift Brewer Scott Wilkins travelled the short distance from the Faversham brewery to Parsonage Farm, Boughton-under-Blean on Monday (August 19) to select and help pick the first hops of the year for the brew with farmer Antony Rudgard-Redsell.

Pizza lovers can visit Shepherd Neame’s new Little Tom pizza wagon, which will be situated at The Limes in Preston Street over the weekend. Handmade sourdough pizzas will be on offer from 11.30am to 7.30pm on Saturday (August 31) and from 11.30am to 6pm on Sunday (September 1).

And there’s also an extra treat on offer, with the fantastic prize of beer for a year up for grabs! Festival goers simply need to scan the QR code which will be found on posters around Shepherd Neame pubs during the weekend, and on the Hop Spots map.

Chief Executive Jonathan Neame said:

“Faversham Hop Festival is a brilliant celebration of our hop heritage in Kent, and Shepherd Neame has been proud to support the event since it was first held more than three decades ago. It provides a fantastic boost to our town, attracting thousands over the weekend, and we look forward to joining in the celebrations across our pubs and at the brewery.”

For more information and a full line-up of bands at Shepherd Neame’s pubs, visit here.