The shires horses will be a mane attraction

Shires horses will be among the guests at Preston Grasshoppers first beer festival.

Hopfest is running from Friday evening and Thwaites brewery is bringing their dray and shire horses along for a look around.

Festival organisers say they expect 5,000 pints to be sold during the weekend with more than 50 different beers, lagers and ciders on offer from breweries in the North and further afield.

The festival also includes a tough rugby tournament and a business networking event from 12noon on Friday 3 July.

General Manager, Richard Ellis said: “We’re hoping to see around 1,000 people come to our first Hopfest, experience the club and what is has to offer as a community facility. We have a fantastic line up of musicians and the food will be of our usual highest Taste Lancashire standard and everyone will be given a warm welcome.

“Hopfest will also be one of many events we are using as a marker to the run up to the Rugby World Cup which is on home soil this time. We hope it will encourage people to get involved in the sport and see what the Hoppers rugby community has to offer.”

The festival runs from 7pm to 11pm on Friday, 11am to 11pm on Saturday and 12noon to 4pm on Sunday.

Entry is £3 and includes a free festival glass and programme. Tickets are available from the club or by paying on the door.

Live music is coming from Ghost Dancer, Tusk, Blokes and a Bird, Avengers Anonymous, Kathy Anderson, Keith Mitchell and Ben Hackett.

Will you be going to Hopfest? Let us know in the comments below