IT’S TIME to raise a glass in Overton as the ticket release date and timings have been announced for a festival.

The Overton Beer Festival took place for the first time last year, and following on from a successful event, the organisers have announced this year’s dates.

Thefirst session is onFriday, 20 April, from 7.30pm to 11pm, then the second and third sessions are from 11.30am to 3.30pm and 7.30pm to 11.30pm on the following day.

A new, official fourth session will be taking place on Sunday, 22 April from noon to 3.30pm.

Mark Winter, one of the event’s organisers, said: “Last year was our first one, so we were keen to see how it would go. We had a fantastic turnout at the first festival last year, and we are hoping for a few more people this year.

“We’ve managed to be able to add some more tickets for the event, around 10 more for each session. Also, we have added another session on the Sunday, which gives people the opportunity for a quieter drink, as there is no music, and people thoroughly enjoyed it.”

The festival, to be held at St Mary’s Hall, was put on after a few friends got together and decided that Overton should have a beer festival again after the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) stopped hosting one in the area.

The event will have a wide range of choices, with more than 20 beers being available.

Mark added: “We wanted a different range of beer, and you won’t stumble across a lot of these regularly. We are supporting local breweries as well, like Longdog.”

The Prosecco bar will be returning, and there will also be a selection of cider as well.

Tickets cost £8 and will be available from overtonbeerfestival.co.uk on March 1.

A portion of the money made will be given to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.