Bluebell Beer Festival 2024
BEER – MUSIC – FOOD – STEAM TRAINS! THE BLUEBELL BEER FESTIVAL WILL RETURN SEPTEMBER 20TH TO 22ND 2024!
(Certain details are listed below on this webpage from our previous year’s event. This page will be updated for our 2024 event in due course)
Come to a beer festival with a difference at the Bluebell Railway! Imagine sipping a special Sussex brew in the industrial splendour of a locomotive running shed, listening to great bands, and watching steam trains puff up and down the line. Hop on that train and journey to other stations to tick another great beer or cider off your list.
The Beer-
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BEER LIST FROM OUR 2023 EVENT
Once again, the Bluebell Railway’s Beer festival will be proudly supported by the Sussex Branches of CAMRA.
Choose from a variety of different cask beers and enjoy a fine selection of cider and perry too! Beer aficionados will be pleased to hear that priority will be given to Sussex breweries, with an aim of offering each local brewery an opportunity of supplying one of their ales, likewise with cider and perry.
Our largest bar will be situated in the locomotive running shed at Sheffield Park Station alongside the main stage, but there will be ten special cask ales at the Horsted Keynes Station and likewise, ten different ones at East Grinstead Station. That’s a great start to your visit if you are coming from East Grinstead and a reason to steam through the countryside and visit the unique and rural location of Horsted Keynes Station. Regular shuttles will run between Sheffield Park Station and Horsted Keynes Station all day, as well as operating our full line service.
All beers will be individually priced and sold by pint, half pint and third pint – giving the festival goer plenty of flexibility. A simple beer token system will be in operation, with beer tokens available for sale from outlets across the railway.
“But I don’t drink beer and I want to come with my friends and enjoy great music, food and steam trains!”
Don’t worry – there’s nothing stopping you! Other refreshments will be available through our licensed outlets including wine, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.
Our Main Bars at Sheffield Park Station will be open 12pm – 11pm Friday, 11am -11pm Saturday and 12pm – 5pm Sunday.
HORSTED KEYNES AND EAST GRINSTEAD BARS WILL OPEN AT 12 NOON CLOSE AT 6PM ON ALL THREE DAYS
Food
Our catering outlets will be open and serving a range of hot and cold snacks. In addition, there will be mobile catering vans serving a variety of different options. The majority of these offerings will be situated at Sheffield Park Station, but snacks and light bites will be available at other stations. Details of these will be announced very soon!
The Trains
A busy timetable will be running throughout all three days, including Friday and Saturday evening. The bar at Sheffield Park Station will close at 11pm, with the last rail service leaving Sheffield Park at 9pm on both Friday & Saturday, a bus service will be in operation to Haywards Heath from Sheffield Park after 11pm, details can be found here
Timetables for train services over the weekend will be released closer to our 2024 event.
The Music- TBC FOR 2024!
Souvenir Glasses
This year, there is an opportunity to purchase a souvenir glass which features our very special Bluebell Railway Beer Festival Logo and will be issued to you at the event upon presenting your itemised ticket. Any glasses not pre-sold will be available to purchase on the day. It is best to pre-order, as we have a limited stock and cannot guarantee on the day availability. You will be offered the chance to buy a glass during the ticket booking process.
Tickets – What’s Included?
We recommend the event and travel ticket as it allows access to all stations and travel on all trains. You can start and finish at any station, listen to the music at Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes, travel to find your favourite pint and enjoy everything the railway has to offer!
If you are not interested in travelling on steam trains and would just like to come to the main bar and stage at Sheffield Park Station, then choose event only tickets. All Adult tickets (except Life member tickets) include your first pint free!
You could purchase tickets from the booking office on the day. Warning! Tickets are limited to ensure that platforms and trains are not overcrowded and that we don’t run out of beer. On the day prices are usually a few pounds more than advance tickets. Don’t delay, purchase today!
For any reasons for changing any Bluebell booking, you will be required to pay a £10.00 surcharge if you wish to change/amend your booking.
CAMRA Members enjoy our BRPS Members discount for this event, so choose those tickets during the booking process. Please have your membership ID with you when you present your tickets at the event.
This year we are offering child and family tickets for the event weekend. Children can enjoy all the things the railway usually has to offer, plus the music. We ask parents to behave responsibly and we remind young adults that they will be asked for ID at the bars if they look under 25 years of age.
How to Get Here
A regular bus service from Haywards Heath main line Station will be running to and from Sheffield Park Station on the Bluebell Railway Line. Haywards Heath Station has fast services from London Bridge, Victoria, East Croydon, Brighton and much more. Compass Bus will be running the special services and return tickets can be purchased on the bus. Adults are £6, Children £1 and Family (2+3) tickets at £12. The service will offer lots of flexibility for the visitor, with the last bus back going after our 11pm closing time.
BLUEBELL RAILWAY BEER FESTIVAL BUS TIMETABLES
Passengers can also travel via National Rail services to East Grinstead. A short walk is then required from the National Rail station
Where to Stay
Why not make a weekend of it? There are lots of great B&B’s and campsites in our area. Ouse Meadow Campsite is right opposite Sheffield Park Station and Wowo Campsite is just a short walk away. Looking for something a bit statelier? Find links to some classy local accommodation here.\
BLUEBELL BEER FESTIVAL 2023- ADVANCE PRICES
| BBF ADV – Travel+Event- Adult | £32.00 |
| BBF ADV – Travel+Event – Child | £12.50 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – Carer | £0.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – Family (2+3) | £80.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Member Adult | £16.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Member Child | £6.25 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event -BRPS Member Family (2+3) | £40.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Life Member | £0.00 |
| BBFADV -Sheffield Park Station Event Entry – Adult | £12.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only- Child | £5.00 |
| BBFADV- Sheffield Park Station Event Only- Carer | £0.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only -Family | £28.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Adult | £6.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Child | £2.50 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Family | £14.00 |
BLUEBELL BEER FESTIVAL 2023- ON THE DAY PRICES
| BBF ADV – Travel+Event- Adult | £35.00 |
| BBF ADV – Travel+Event – Child | £14.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – Carer | £0.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – Family (2+3) | £85.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Member Adult | £17.50 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Member Child | £7.00 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event -BRPS Member Family (2+3) | £42.50 |
| BBFADV – Travel+Event – BRPS Life Member | £0.00 |
| BBFADV -Sheffield Park Station Event Entry – Adult | £15.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only- Child | £7.50 |
| BBFADV- Sheffield Park Station Event Only- Carer | £0.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only -Family | £31.00 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Adult | £7.50 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Child | £3.75 |
| BBFADV – Sheffield Park Station Event Only – BRPS Member Family | £15.50 |
