Author: Santa

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Sponsor

Sponsoring Burghfest is a great way to show that you support the local RG7 community and Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

We are expecting 2,000 visitors so take advantage of this opportunity now.

Sponsorship opportunities start from as little as £100 and include:

    • Sponsoring a beer or cider barrel
    • Display your advertising banner or flag
    • Exclusive: Sponsorship of the Beer Bar
    • Exclusive: Sponsoring the Craft Beer and Cider Bar
    • Exclusive: Sponsorship of the Prosecco  Bar
    • Exclusive: Your logo on Volunteer Vests
    • Exclusive: Your logo on Burghfest Beer or Wine Glasses
    • Exclusive: Headline Stage Sponsor
    • Band Sponsor
    • Exclusive: Sponsorship of the Ticket Desk and festival wrist bands SOLD

All sponsors get discounted admission tickets, receive a framed certificate, and appear on our event web-sites allowing you to publicise your involvement.

Thank you to all the local businesses who have sponsored us. Without their support the event would not be possible.

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Burghfest 2024

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Burghfest 2024 featured:

  • Over 50 Cask Ales and Craft Beers from 20+ local brewers including our very own Burghfield Santa’s Best brewed in collaboration with Reading Amateur Brewers and Elusive Brewing.
  • A selection of still and fizzy Cider from our local cider producers
  • A gin bar, featuring the award-winning Blowing Stone range from local distiller, Hawkridge.
  • Top-quality range of Wine and Prosecco as well as Pimms
  • An exciting program of Live Music from local acts including Burghfest favourites Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes and Dirtbag.
  • PLUS for the first time at Burghfest, a second stage to keep the music going between acts.

and rasied £14,000   for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and other local good causes.

Thanks for your support

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Food

Food will be available from  a range of local street food vendors plus Candy Floss, Ice Cream and more!

Vegetarian(V), Vegan(Vg) and Gluten-Free(Gf) options available.

Check out the listings below.

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Beers

The Cider bar will serve a specially selected range of ciders from our amazing local cider makers.

Cider is 1 token per 1/2 pint.

CaskCraftCiderWine&Spirits
Real Ale from the cask
Craft Beer served chilled
Still and fizzy Real Cider
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Beers

The Elmbank Mortgages Craft Beer bar will serve a specially selected range of craft beers from our amazing local brewers.

Craft Beer is 1 token per 1/3 pint, Lager is 1 token per 1/2 pint.

CaskCraftCiderWine&Spirits
Real Ale from the cask
Craft Beer served chilled
Still and fizzy Real Cider
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Beers

The Mysterious Brewing Cask Ale bar will serve a specially selected range of real ale from our amazing local brewers.

Cask Ale is 1 token per 1/2 pint.

CaskCraftCiderWine&Spirits
Real Ale from the cask
Craft Beer served chilled
Still and fizzy Real Cider
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Are children allowed?

Yes. Teens (13-17) and Under-13s can attend the festival and are welcome to participate in all activities except for the consumption of alcohol.

However, please note that Teens(13-17) and Under 13s’ will only be admitted when accompanied by an adult. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their Teens and Under-13s at all times.

Admission for Teens (13-17) and Under-13s will be issued with a wristband, identifying their restricted access.  For younger children, parents are encouraged to write emergency contact details on the child’s wristband to facilitate quick reunification if the child gets lost.

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How much do drinks cost?

Those wishing to consume alcohol, need to purchase a Burghfest 2024 branded polycarbonate glass, bring a Burghfest glass from a previous year,  or rent a Santa Recycles glass for use for the day.

Glass rental and alcoholic drinks are purchased using tokens. Cash is not accepted at the bars.

Tokens cost £2.50 each and are available from the ticket desk.

Drinks pricing is:

Santa Recycles Glass Rental Per day 1 token
Glass can be swapped for a different type at no charge
Cask Ale 1/2 Pint 1 token
Craft Beer 1/3 Pint 1 token
Lager 1/2 Pint 1 token
Cider 1/2 Pint 1 token
Wine 175ml1 2 tokens
Carafe 8 tokens
Carafe Re-fill 7 tokens
Prosecco 125ml 2 tokens
175ml 3 tokens
Bottle 10 tokens
Hugo Spritz 3 tokens
Pimms & Lemonade 1/2 pint 2  tokens
3pt Jug 11 tokens
Any Spirit & Mixer 25ml 2 tokens
50ml 3 tokens
Soft Drinks 330ml 1 token

1 125ml available at the same price

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Can you bring your own alcohol?

No alcohol is to be brought on to the site.

Due to licensing laws, it will be taken from you or you will be asked to leave the site. We have bars and catering throughout the festival site where over 18’s can purchase alcohol.

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Is it safe and secure?

    • We have a full and  SIA approved  security team and medical first-aiders on-site.
    • The event is approved by the Police, Council and Fire officers.
    • The event is operated in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy.
    • The Burghfield Santas work with West Berkshire Council, as the Licensing Authority, to ensure all required measures are adopted.
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Subject to Change?

The festival programme is subject to change without notice. The organisers accept no responsibility if, for example, an act fails to attend or a particular beer or cider is not available.

If the event has to be canceled, all monies paid for advance tickets and beer tokens will be fully refunded by our ticketing partner, Ticket Source.

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Volunteer

Burghfest would not be possible without the support of our volunteers. We  have roles suitable for everyone1 including bar-staff, ambassadors, ticket desk staff and set-up/tear-down crew.

To make sure we get the coverage we need and to also ensure the volunteers get to enjoy the festival, staffing is allocated in 4-hour shifts.

We’re using SignUp.com to manage this. Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

  1. Go to our SignUp page  on SignUp.com
  2. Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
  3. Sign up! It’s Easy – you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

All volunteers receive a meal voucher, drink tokens and free admission on the day(s) of their shift(s) but more importantly have great fun and the satisfaction of giving back to the local community.

If you are a local community group that can provide volunteers, and in return raise money for your organisation, check out the Burghfield Santa’s Affiliate programme.

1Volunteers under 18 must have written parental consent to participate in the event. They will be assigned age-appropriate roles and supervised by a responsible adult. For a copy of our Safeguarding policy please email admin@burghfieldsantas.org.uk.

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Burghfest 2023

Burghfest by Numbers
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Burghfest 2023 featured:

  • Over 50 Cask Ales and Craft Beers from 20+ local brewers including our very own Burghfield Santa’s Peel-y Good Brew brewed in collaboration with Reading Amateur Brewers and Elusive Brewing.
  • A selection of still and fizzy Cider from our local cider producers
  • A gin bar, featuring the award-winning Blowing Stone range from local distiller, Hawkridge.
  • Top-quality range of Wine and Prosecco as well as Pimms
  • An exciting program of Live Music from local acts including Burghfest favourites Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes and Dirtbag.

and rasied £24,000   for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and other local good causes.

Want to know more?  Download our Event Report

Thanks for your support

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Burghfest 2022

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brewers
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Burghfest 2022 featured:

  • Cask Ale and Craft Beer from 20+ local brewers including our very own Burghfield Santa’s Reinbeer of the Mohicans brewed in collaboration with Reading Amateur Brewers and Elusive Brewing.
  • A selection of still and fizzy Cider from our local cider producers
  • A gin bar, featuring the award-winning Blowing Stone range from local distiller, Hawkridge.
  • Top-quality range of Wine and Prosecco as well as Pimms
  • An exciting program ofLive Music from local acts including Burghfest favourites Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes and Indie Generation.

and  rasied £11,000   for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Thanks for your support

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Burghfest 2021

Burghfest 2021
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Burghfest 2021 featured:

  • Cask ale and Craft beer from 20+ local brewers including our very own Burghfield Santa’s – Summer Reinbeer brewed in collaboration with Elusive Brewing.
  • A selection of still and fizzy  cider from our local cider producers
  • A gin bar featuring the award-winning Blowing Stone range from local distiller, Hawkridge.
  • Top-quality range of Wine & Prosecco as well as Pimms
  • An exciting program of Live Music from local acts including Burghfest favourites Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes and Indie Generation.

and  rasied £10,000   for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Thanks for your support

Beer Award Winners

As voted by you on Untappd.

Beer of Festival

Burghfield Santa’s – Summer Reinbeer
IPA
Brewed by us in collaboration with our friends at Elusive Brewing!

Best Cask Ale

Siren Craft – Lumina
Session IPA
Usually only available in keg or can this was awesome in cask.

Best Craft Beer

Double-Barrelled – Hello Simcoe
Pale Ale
Amazing craft beer from Phantom Brewing Co on their first appearance at Burghfest.

Congratulations to all the award winners.

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Burghfest 2018 Beer & Cider Awards

 

Best Bitter or Amber  & Beer of the Festival

New Wharf – Santa Brews
Specially brewed for Burghfest. 
We drank 6 cask of this. Now we need to persuade New Wharf to brew it again!

Best Pale Ale or IPA

New Wharf – Tea with Erin
American Ale infused with Earl Grey Tea
The first beer we sold out of this year.

Best Dark Beer

Elusive – Shadow of the Beast
An unusual black IPA 
An IPA and a stout in one. Awesome!

Best Cider or Perry

Crazy Dave’s – Berkshire Rebel
At 7.3% it’s not for the faint hearted!
People kept coming back for more until they couldn’t.

Congratulations to all the award winners.

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Burghfest 2017

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Last years event was awesome. Over 3,000 people came along and consumed:

and enjoyed Live Music from some awesome local bands.

Most importantly £20,000 was raised for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Festival Awards

Beer of Festival

New Wharf Voyage
Brand new beer from our newest local brewery

Best Pale Ale or IPA

Loddon Forbury Lion
An IPA as an IPA should be

Best Bitter

Little London Pryde
A best bitter full of spicy hop notes

Best Mild or Stout

West Berkshire Maggs Magnificent Mild
CAMRA Beer of Britain 2017 Silver Medal

Best Cider or Perry

Tutts Clump Traditional Farmhouse
A crisp refreshing Eastern Counties style Cider

Congratulations to all the award winners.

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Burghfield Santas

Burghfield Santas is a group of local residents that create fun events in the RG7 community to raise money for local charities.

It all started with Santa Cruise 20 years ago when a group of mates went out for a few drinks after making and wrapping many presents, we wore our red suits and raised a little money for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance .

We did this again and again many times and somewhere along the way we realised that charity fund raising is not just for Christmas but Easter too. The Bunny Hop was born, closely followed by Burghfest which satisfied our need for good music, good company and good local beer.

The next challenge was to return racing to the historical home of the Auclum Hill Climb, so in 2017 we launched the annual Box Kart Bash.

2018,  saw the launch of  The Bulging Sack, our very own Pop Up Pub. This came to its own in 2020 when due to the coronavirus our major events were canceled.  It opened Friday and Saturday evenings in the summer and raised almost £10,000 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance as well as providing a chance for the community to get together.

In 2024 we raised £26,193 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance and over £13,000 for other local groups and charities through our Do Your Bit scheme.