THOUSANDS of people are expected to descend on a Basingstoke venue this weekend for the third Hampshire OctoberFest.

Organisers have promised this year’s event, once again hosted by Basingstoke’s Milestones Museum, will be bigger and better than ever, with more family activities alongside a wide selection of the county’s finest real ales and beers.

The public events take place on Saturday and Sunday, with a special “Works Night Out” for businesses on Friday evening featuring live music and a hog roast.

Visitors to OctoberFest can also enter the museum at no extra cost, where there will be storytelling and other children’s activities.

Ian Smith, manager of Milestones, said: “What we are offering this year is the entire Milestones experience, plus a whole lot more.

“This is not just a beer festival but a craft fair, food fair and lots of activities for children.”

Festival organiser Phil Myatt, from the north Hampshire branch of CAMRA, added: “This is purely about Hampshire beers and it will be great to have such a large selection. There will be a lot to go around. Advance ticket sales have been going well, so all indications are that this will be the best year yet.”

The event will also feature a local food and craft marquee, storytelling, Punch and Judy, an animal farm, live music, vintage vehicles and funfair rides.

Mr Smith said the Friday night is close to its 1,000 capacity and urged anyone planning on coming along to book in advance.

The sale of advance tickets ends tomorrow.

Day tickets will cost £7.90 for an adult ticket, £4.75 for children aged five to 15 while under-fives are admitted free of charge. A family ticket, for two adults and two children, will cost £22.75.

Evening tickets for Saturday night’s fun, which lasts from 6pm to 11pm, cost £6 and are available to over-18s only.

For more information visit: www3.hants.gov.uk/octoberfest.