The Rainham Beer Festival

The festival this year takes place on Sunday July 24th from 12 midday to 10 pm. at Berengrove Park, Berengrave Lane.

  

The annual event began in 2013 when Rainham Cricket Club introduced a beer festival to raise money for a proposed new purpose built community clubhouse. The idea was to replace the existing building which had been constructed in 1975 with something bigger and more modern that could benefit the cricket club and the local community.

The Events Committee thought up the idea of a beer festival which has taken place every July for the past three years. It has attracted big crowds in excess of 1,000 people who have had a wide choice of 30 different ales and 10 ciders served from barrels in a large marquee at the Berengrave Lane end of the ground.

Rainham Cricket Club members have put everything into place and have served in the marquee and in the clubhouse bar while the beer and cider have been provided and transported to the ground by a company from Nottingham.

Some customers have brought their own chairs and tables to relax on the grounds of Berengrove Park while fun facilities such as a bouncy castle and a punch and Judy show have been provided for children. Other features have included an all-day barbecue, a coconut shy and live groups such as ‘Bad Pandas’ and ‘Taking Care of Vegas’ who have performed ‘golden oldies’ from the past. In 2015 an Elvis Presley impersonator performed songs and mingled amongst customers to keep them entertained while in the same year Gillingham Football Club Gems cheerleader group were due to perform dance routines but rain unfortunately intervened.

The beer festival has proven to be a big money spinner for Rainham Cricket Club, similar to their annual bonfire and fireworks evening at Berengrove Park which became a highly successful and well attended event during the 1970s and early 1980s.

In 2016 the beer festival will take place at Berengrove Park on Sunday July 24th and is open from 12 noon until 10pm. Performers due to appear include ‘Bad Pandas,’ ‘Taking Care of Vegas’ and the ‘GFC Gems’ cheerleaders. Support for the event will help finance the community clubhouse along with sponsorship, donations and other club fund raising events. When complete the new clubhouse will be a big boost for Rainham Cricket Club who compete in the Kent County Cricket League and it will be available for different community events, local organisations, businesses and clubs as an attractive, spacious and comfortable venue in the area.

David Wood.