Enjoy a virtual tour of Summer Moon Beer Festival with a nice chilled and relaxed atmosphere on the village church meadow in Kingskerswell. With music from a wide variety of bands (the majority of which are local) and with plenty of beer and activities for the kids, this is a festival for all the family to enjoy. For the last few years there’s been 70+ beers, 20+ Ciders and wines to keep you quenched throughout the day.
Update: 2020 cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, hopefully the event will return in 2021.
I’ve been coming to the Summer moon festival for many years now and it’s always been a very chilled, family friendly event. Unlike many festivals around, there is a great selection of 70+ to choose from and every year the Cider & Cyder list gets bigger, in 2018 there was around 30. If your not keen on ales or cider there’s the best wine list I have ever seen at a beer festival with almost 10 on the list, plus the prosecco. Of coarse catering for all tastes they come in sweet, medium or dry. You don’t have to buy all your tokens at once, as you can always go back for more. Come mid afternoon, they ran out of the green colour tokens and started to use gold tokens and then onto red which were last years. If you’ve kept tokens from previous years you can usually use them again, especially on the Saturday evening when it’s really busy and there are multiple colour tokens around.
They will start to run out of drinks though, especially from mid Saturday afternoon, so if there are any specific you want to try, you need to go for them first. The rhubarb cider was very popular and that went very quickly. Come 5/6 ‘O Clock time the place is then really busy and the beer runs out fast. The ciders had all run out completely by 9pm. The last couple of times I went up for an ale, the options were down to light, amber or dark, 90% of the kegs were drunk.
The food choice isn’t bad either with lots to choose from, but personally I usually go for the Piccolo Pizza, £7 for 10″ or £4 for 7″. This year (2019) I went for two 7″, so I could have two different toppings for £8. I know this works out you have less pizza than a single 7″, but only just, 2×4″=76.96902001294992 area of pizza, instead of 1×7″=78.53981633974483 area of pizza. I just fancied two toppings and £8 is cheaper than £14. I went for American and a Mediterranean with goats cheese. I was surprised how nice the goats cheese was, and will definitely have that again. You have to get in quick though, they can easily have a half hour or more wait, especially at peek lunch or tea time and in the past they have run out of dough and had to shut early. On the Saturday there are two stages for entertainment, the main stage and a smaller acoustic stage, usually alternating sets throughout the day.
As I travel from Torbay I usually share a taxi with friends, but come the end of the event you’ll want to have pre booked as the wait can be an hour. Though we usually order a taxi to pick us up from the Nellie just up the road, so we can sit in the warm and have one more drink while we wait. This year though (2019) you now have a cheaper option for getting home as the N12 night bus is running that will take you to Newton Abbot or Torbay for £3. I bought a Dayrider £5 to get to the festival, (getting off at Kingskerswell Arch) which covers you getting home as long as you catch the last bus of the day (Jury’s Corner By the Sloop) before your ticket expires at midnight.
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The First Summer Moon Festival was in 2008 and was founded by Vicar John Leonard. All profits raised from the event are donated to local charities and good causes. So far over the years they have raised over £115.000.
- The Festival runs over two days, the bars operate on a token-only system. Thursday nights there is a ‘Night at the Proms’ concert, but no beer is drunk.
- The beers are served by volunteers from the local community.
All tickets for the festival are sold on the gate. Cash only.
- Friday, (5pm-11pm), £6 per person (for all ages).
- Saturday,(11am-11pm), £10 per person (£5 for ages 12-15s Until 4pm – After 4pm : £10 for all ages).
- Music will play until 11pm.
CAMRA members entry price : £7 (all day Saturday). This discounted price applies to CAMRA members on presentation of a valid membership card.
Tokens
There are no free glasses, so you’ll have to buy a starter pack for £5, then tokens are £2 each or 3 for £5, 6 for £10, 9 for £15 and so on……
- Starter pack – 1 glass and 2 tokens, £5.
- 1 token = half pint of beer or cider.
- 2 tokens = 1 pint of beer or cider or 125ml of wine.
- 3 Tokens = 250ml of wine or 200ml Prosecco.
- Replacement glasses = 1 token.
- Tip: If you have to many tokens you can ask for a carry out and fill a 2 or 4 pint milk carton.
- Tip: Some behind the bar accept old tokens from the previous year.
2019
2019
2019
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2018
There are over 70 beers (77 Ales & 22 Ciders in 2019) and for those seeking alternatives to real ales and cider, there is also a good selection of wines, plus prosecco.
- Tip: If you have to many tokens you can ask for a carry out and fill 2 or 4 pint milk cartons.
- Tip: Some behind the bar accept old tokens from the previous year.
Most are available on both days, but not all. I personally recommend the pizza’s, just don’t leave it till peak times as the queue will be huge! You are allowed to take your own food if you want a picnic. Most of the food stalls close around 8-9pm or even before that if they run out of supplies. There’s usually plenty of choice to choose from:
Bacon baps(2018)- Barney’s Hog roast
- BBQ Crew burgers
Beef burgers, Hot dogs(2018)- Candy Floss
Jacket potatoes(2017)Fish and chips(2017)- Ice Cream
Ivor Dewdney Pasties(2017)- Passion for Pies
- Piccolo Pizzas
- Polly Nostimo’s Little Greek Food truck
Pulled pork burgers(2018)- Say Cheese Devon
Spud Oven(2017)- Street Food Moroccan
- Thai Noodles
The Teign Canteen – Steak Baguettes, venison tagine, chicken wraps(2018)
There are two stages to keep everyone entertained Main Stage and Acoustic Stage with the music alternating, so they don’t clash.
I’ve always shared a minibus or taxi to get here, but this year with the new 24 hour night bus, I’m tempted to use the bus. There is very limited parking available at the festival, so it’s best to use public transport, a taxi or ask someone to give you a lift.
The postcode of the festival is TQ12 5LD.
- By Bus: £5 for the dayrider (area the ticket covers), which is valid until the end of the day, so should get you home as well. The most convenient bus services for the festival are the No 12, X46 or No 66. At the ‘Arch’ (under Lord Nelson Bridge) or ‘Jury’s Corner’ (near the Sloop Hungry Horse pub). The event will be sign posted. It’s about 5-10 minute walk to/from the festival.
- By Train:The closest station is located at Newton Abbot. You’ll then have to jump on the No. 12 bus which stops directly outside the station. Then get off at the Sloop pub and walk following the sign posts.
- By Taxi:
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- Torbay Taxis 01803 211611
- Price First Taxis: 01803 322322
- Torbay Cab Company: 01803 292292
- Riviera Taxis: 01803 212600
- Teignbridge Taxis: 01626 333333
- Station Taxis: 01626 334488
- Dash Taxis: 01626 247247
- Take a foldable chair or picnic blanket to sit on.
- Always ask for a taster and don’t be afraid to try 3 or 4 before you settle on one.
- Never ask for a full pint, you can’t over fill a pint!
- You can take Unopened soft drinks and bottles of water.
- I recommend the pizza’s. Just don’t leave it till peak times as the queue will be huge!
- If you have to many tokens you can ask for a carry out and fill 2 or 4 pint milk cartons.
- Some behind the bar accept old tokens from the previous year.
- Dogs are Not allowed (with an exception for assistance dogs)
- There is No cash machine at the festival.
- There is No car parking available at the festival.
- Pay to enter at the gate (cash only for entry and buying drinks tokens)
- Don’t forget the suncream, if it’s a scorcher.
- Under 16’s must be accompanied by a parent/responsible adult. Challenge 25 will operate.
- If you don’t spend all your tokens or find yourself driving you can buy a 2 or 4 pint carry out to take home with you.
- After the event there can be a 1hr wait for a taxi. Walk to the Lord Nelson for a drink and get picked up from there.
- For more info go to www.summermoonfestival.co.uk
- www.drinkaware.co.uk
- Taxi Numbers:
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- Torbay Taxis 01803 211611
- Price First Taxis: 01803 322322
- Torbay Cab Company: 01803 292292
- Riviera Taxis: 01803 212600
- Teignbridge Taxis: 01626 333333
- Station Taxis: 01626 334488
- Dash Taxis: 01626 247247
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Originally posted by Ash: 22 Jun 2018 @ 22:41
