Beer lovers across the UK with be celebrating National Beer Garden Day on Friday 22 May 2026, raising a glass to one of Britain’s favourite traditions: sitting outside a pub with friends and a cold drink in hand.

It’s a longstanding British tradition that soon as the sun appears, pub gardens fill up with people catching up over a pint, enjoying a Friday evening after work, or making the most of a long weekend outdoors. National Beer Garden Day has become a light-hearted way to celebrate the social side of pubs and the role they continue to play in communities across the country.

Beer gardens have always been part of British pub culture, but in recent years they have become even more important. Many pubs have invested in their outdoor spaces, adding covered seating, heaters, outdoor kitchens and live entertainment areas to encourage year-round use. For many people, a good beer garden is now just as important as the pub itself.

The celebrations do not stop there either. June is packed with beer festivals across the UK, giving beer lovers plenty more to look forward to. CAMRA and independent organisers host festivals throughout the month featuring hundreds of real ales, craft beers, ciders and food stalls.

Some of the notable beer festivals taking place in June 2026 include:

The Stratford Beer & Cider Festival returns to Stratford Racecourse on 5-6 June 2026, featuring up to 40 beers and 20 ciders from breweries across the UK. Organised by CAMRA’s Shakespeare branch, the festival is known for its relaxed atmosphere, live entertainment and strong mix of traditional ales and modern craft beers.

The Winchester Beer & Cider Festival takes place on 12-13 June 2026 at the University of Winchester Students’ Union. Visitors can expect dozens of real ales, craft beers, ciders and perries alongside food stalls and live entertainment, with CAMRA members receiving complimentary beer tokens.

Running from 2-6 June 2026, the Thurrock Beer & Cider Festival is one of Essex’s best-known beer events, hosted at the historic Bata Shoe Factory site in East Tilbury. The festival showcases a wide range of beers, ciders, perries and country wines, with evening entertainment and community fundraising activities throughout the week.

The Kent & East Sussex Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival takes place in Tenterden on 5-6 June 2026, combining heritage rail travel with a traditional beer festival experience. Visitors can enjoy real ales, ciders and perries both at Tenterden Town Station and onboard heritage steam and diesel trains travelling through the Kent countryside.