Tunbridge Wells Beer Festival at the Spa Valley Railway October 2025
Kent’s biggest Real Ale and Cider festival takes place next week between 16 October and Sunday 19 October 2025 and is the perfect location to celebrate the very best in local and national brewing with some great live music and freshly cooked food to accompany your pint.
To support this wonderful volunteer run railway in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, you can also purchase a train ticket to enjoy a journey on one of the magnificent steam trains! You won’t go thirsty on the trains as the buffet cars will have their bars set up on board with four cask ales from Pig & Porter Brewery.
The main beer festival and live music take place in the historic Victorian Engine Shed at the Spa Valley Railway’s, Tunbridge Wells West Station.
The festival will have an incredible 220 Real Ales, including 36 Kent Green Hop varieties, 14 Keg Beers, and 78 Ciders. To help with the anticipated demand beers will include some from as far north as the Scottish Highlands, deep in Wales, all the way down to Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.
Trains operating on the day include the magnificent steam engines Bulleid Pacific 34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’, BR Standard 4MT 80078 and Caledonian Railway No. 828. Operating alongside the steam engines will be Class 25 25185, Class 31 31430 ‘Sister Dora’ and Class 33/0 33063 ‘R.J.Mitchell’,
BUY A BEER FOR BROOM LANE!
At the Beer Festival you can choose to buy a beer for Broom Lane and donate just £5 towards a £400,000 fundraising appeal to replace an old Victorian Bridge located halfway between High Rocks and Groombridge, known as Broom Lane Bridge. Broom Lane Bridge is the largest and most expensive project the railway has ever faced in its history and it needs be replaced in February and March 2026. The current fundraising target stands at £71,000.
Festival Highlights
- Enjoy 168 Cask Ales at Tunbridge Wells West, 18 at Groombridge, and 30 at Eridge, including 36 Green Hop options
- Sample 54 Ciders at Tunbridge Wells West, 10 at Groombridge, and 10 at Eridge, with an additional four ciders available on the trains
- Live music at all three stations
- Buy a train ticket and enjoy a journey and a pint along the Spa Valley Railway between Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge
- Food options to enjoy with your pint: Fullers Butcher BBQ, Khao Thai Food Stand and Holly’s Cakes at Tunbridge Wells West. Pizzas will be available at Groombridge Station and food from Reynolds family catering at Eridge station
Entry and Discounts
Entry to the stations is free, although charges apply for train travel and food and drink. CAMRA members benefit from a 25% discount on train travel when presenting a valid membership card at the ticket offices (not available online). Additionally, all children aged 0-15 years travel free when accompanied by a full fare-paying adult during the festival.
Train Tickets: Adult 1 Day – £20, Adult 2 Day – £30, Adult 3 Day – £40, Children (0-15yrs) – FREE
CAMRA, Society and HRA Members – 25% Discount at the Ticket Office (not available online)
Entry to stations is FREE and there is no charge to see the bands if you are not travelling on the trains.
No trains are operating on Thursday 16 October; however, the main Tunbridge Wells West bar is open from 18:00 to 22:00.
To book trains visit https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/product.php/6520/real-ale-cider-festival
To find out more about the Spa Valley Railway, their events, fundraising appeals, opening times and how to become a volunteer visit www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk
Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Nevill Terrace, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY.
Live Music at Spa Valley Beer Festival
Music at Tunbridge Wells West
The following bands will be performing on the main stage at Tunbridge Wells West during the Beer & Cider Festival!
Friday 17th October
16:00 – Chunky
17:15 – Bats in the Belfry
18:30 – Rebel Diamond
19:45 – Monkey Trap
21:30 – Hell Drivers
Saturday 18th October
13:30 – Mike Wilton
15:15 – Charlie Rivers
17:00 – Wyrd Fox
19:00 – Platform 4
21:00 – Kharma and the Devil
Sunday 19th October
12:00 – TWUNTS
13:15 – Old Mercia
14:30 – Kelly Bourne
15:45 – Oak Folk
17:00 – River Flows
Along with these fantastic acts, duos will perform at Groombridge and solos at Eridge on the Friday and Saturday of the event.
