This year's festival is being organised by The East Lancashire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

It will remain at the St Mary's Centre, in Church Street, running from Friday, from 2 to 11 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. The event is part of the Clitheroe Festival Weekend, which boasts attractions throughout town all weekend.

Beer boffins at CAMRA have lined up a range of 40-plus cask milds, bitters, porters and stouts from 20 leading North West real ale brewers for the two-day event.

Entertainment will be provided at all sessions, apart from Friday afternoon. Entry to the event is £3 at all times and includes a £2 refundable glass deposit.

The aim of the festival is to introduce drinkers to the many quality real ales available in the area and encourage more licensees to stock a guest beer brewed locally.

A spokesman for CAMRA said: "There are now 10 real ale brewers in East Lancashire alone, with two of these based in the Ribble Valley, at Bowland and Grindleton, but far too few pubs and clubs sell their products.

"Despite this, there is clear evidence from drinkers that, given the choice, they would prefer to drink a tasty locally-brewed cask beer rather than some mass-marketed, bland, national brand that has been trucked halfway across the country."