Dudley Winter Ales Fayre 2026: the CAMRA Black Country classic turns 40

Few festivals capture the soul of Black Country beer culture like the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre, and the 2026 edition is a milestone: forty years of the event, held from 26 to 28 November 2026 in the Victorian splendour of Dudley Town Hall. Run by volunteers of the Dudley & South Staffordshire branch of CAMRA since 1986, the Fayre is famous for the finest regional selection of barley wines and strong old ales, alongside sixty-plus cask beers, ciders and perries. Winter icons return every year: Sarah Hughes' legendary Snowflake, a reigning champion winter beer, and the seasonal launch of Batham's XXX. For the anniversary, the organisers are assembling a display of the commemorative glasses from all previous editions, each with its own design, and live bands play on Friday and Saturday. Advance tickets go on sale in September and sessions run from lunchtime, with the Saturday open to families. Check the official website for tickets and updates, and plan your beer trip with beBeer.