Beer Festivals Near North Shields

North Shields already has one of the best pub scenes on the coast, from the centuries-old free houses on the Fish Quay to a micropub just off Northumberland Square. A good beer festival adds something different: dozens of casks you will not find on a normal bar, a crowd of enthusiasts, and usually live music and food too.

Here are the regular festivals in and within easy reach of North Shields. Most have now finished for 2026, so we give the usual time of year for each. Exact dates for the next edition are announced by the organisers, and where 2027 dates have been officially confirmed we say so.

In North Shields

Ale by Rail, Stephenson Steam Railway

The town's own beer festival takes place among the locomotives at Stephenson Steam Railway on Middle Engine Lane. Ale by Rail is organised by the volunteers of the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association, and it pairs a bar of real ales with the chance to ride behind a steam engine on the museum's heritage line.

It is held in mid-August. The 2025 festival ran over a weekend in August, and the 2026 edition was on Saturday 15 August, when the organisers added keg beers and lager to the cask line-up for the first time. Keep an eye on the museum's events listings in early summer for the 2027 date.

Best for: Best for a relaxed summer afternoon that mixes real ale with steam train rides.

One to watch: All Pints East, Salt Market Social

Salt Market Social, the food hall and bar in the Blue Warehouse by the Fish Quay, has hosted All Pints East, a craft beer festival with independent breweries pouring under one roof. Editions ran from 2022, most recently in March 2024. We have not seen one announced since, so treat it as one to watch rather than a fixture, and check the venue's own channels for news of a return.

Best for: Best for craft beer fans, if and when it returns to the Fish Quay.

Nearby on the coast

Whitley Bay Beer Festival

A short Metro ride up the coast, the Whitley Bay Beer Festival is run by Whitley Bay Rockcliff Rugby Club at its ground in Whitley Bay. It has been going for more than a decade and has grown into one of the biggest dates in the coast's social calendar, with real ales, ciders and gins, live music and street food over three days.

It is traditionally held over the late-August bank holiday weekend. The 2026 festival ran from 28 to 30 August, and the club announces the next dates nearer the time.

Best for: Best for a lively bank holiday weekend with music, food and a big crowd.

Further afield

Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival

The largest real ale festival in the area is run by the Tyneside and Northumberland branch of CAMRA, the branch that covers North Shields. It brings together a very large selection of cask beers, ciders and perries from across the country, with plenty from North East breweries, and is staffed entirely by volunteers.

The festival is held each spring at Northumbria Students' Union in Newcastle city centre, an easy Metro ride from North Shields. The 2026 festival ran from 15 to 18 April, and the organisers have announced the 2027 festival for Wednesday 7 to Saturday 10 April 2027.

Best for: Best for serious real ale drinkers who want the widest possible choice.

Tynedale Beer Festival, Corbridge

For a day out in the Tyne Valley, the Tynedale Beer Festival is held in a marquee at Tynedale Park, the home of Tynedale Rugby Club, in Corbridge. It celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2026 and is known for a strong list of beers, live music and a good-natured, country-show atmosphere.

It usually runs over three days in June. The organisers have announced the 2027 festival for Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 June 2027. Corbridge railway station is right next to the ground, so you can leave the car at home and take the train from Newcastle.

Best for: Best for a summer day trip out of town, with the train to take you there and back.

Between festivals

You do not need to wait for a festival to try something unusual. The Low Lights Tavern on Brewhouse Bank and The Wooden Doll on Hudson Street are both proper real ale pubs, Enigma Tap on Bedford Street is a friendly micropub, and Low Quay Brew Co brews its own beer a short walk up from the Fish Quay. Our guides to the best pubs in North Shields and the best beer gardens in North Shields have more ideas.

Tips for festival-goers

• Check dates with the organiser. Festivals are run by volunteers and clubs, and dates and opening times can change.
• Go early for choice. Popular beers sell out, especially on the last day.
• Use public transport. Every festival here is reachable by Metro or train from North Shields.
• Bring cash and ID. Some bars run on tokens or cash, and under-25s are often asked for ID.
• Pace yourself. Festival beers can be stronger than you expect, so try thirds or halves.

Know of a beer festival near North Shields that we have missed? Tell us about it and we will add it.