Category Archives: Events
As a proud Midlands brewer we love an excuse for a day out, so what better than a day at the Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National at our local and much-loved racecourse. It’s down the road, in the Staffordshire town of Uttoxeter, on Saturday 14th March 2020.
It’s such a major event for the area that the population of the town doubles for the day – that’s a lot of beer!
We’ll be refreshing punters throughout eight exciting races such as the DE14 Novices Hurdle, Horninglow Handicap Steeple Chase and Pedigree Open National Hunt. The main event, the 61 Deep Midlands Grand National is the second longest race in the UK racing calendar and our own Emma Gilleland (our pioneering first female head brewer) will be presenting the trophy to the final winner. Girl power!
For the more adventurous racegoers, we’ll be unveiling the brand-new Marston’s 61 Deep Globe Challenge – a devilishly tricky dive into the unknown that will see punters defying the odds with the chance for some special winnings. Are you ‘Marston’s’ enough to try?
Tickets range from £15 to £42 and are available online from www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk or by calling the Uttoxeter Racecourse Office 01889 562561.
In British Pie Week (2nd – 8th March) there’s no better time than to reveal our pukka new partnership with our mates down the road in Leicester.
The Pukka piemasters have created the ultimate steak and ale pie with our very own Pedigree – all the Ps see?
Pukka Steak and Pedigree Ale Pie is filled with beef steak in a rich Marston’s Pedigree gravy, encased in a light golden puff pastry.
As fellow East Midlanders, Pukka was established in Leicester by the Storer family in 1963 and their signature pies sold nationwide to pubs, fish and chip shops and supermarkets have become the byword for all things genuinely, properly good. Sounds the the pie version of our beer!
Our Head brewer, Pat reckons it’s a pastry and beer match made in heaven and the perfect meal to enjoy down the pub, at the chippy or at home,
We say share some Pukka n’ Pedigree love!
Round up the usual suspects, we are about to put Beer Town on the map! Another round in our annual film festival extravaganza is now open for entries to UK filmmakers.
Our first year of competition brought in a tidal wave of entries and the sequel had us manning the lifeboats through more than eighty hours of viewing so this year we’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Wait, here’s the serious bit: The competition calls for filmmakers to enter any one of four categories to find the best short fiction film, short documentary, music/advertising/promotional film or short animation. There’s an extra prize for anyone who is local (within a 20-mile radius of Burton) so that we can pay tribute to the new and emerging talent from the area. We say build it and they will come!
The films will be judged by a panel of nationally and internationally-renowned filmmakers and each category winner receives up £500 in cash and the chance to go on to win the coveted ‘Hop D’Or’ (we’re rather proud of that) with a further £1,000 in cash. Our festival wouldn’t take part without a little help from our friends, Burton and South Derbyshire College and The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton, so big thumbs up and winky face to them.
Alicia is in the director’s chair this year and said: “We are very proud to be involved in such a creative and exciting project for Burton. It’s all about putting our town on the map and reminding everyone about Burton-on-Trent’s incredible brewing credentials. Are you dreaming about being a filmmaker? Go on – give it a go!”
Last year, Beer Town Film Festival’s Best Overall Film was awarded to Daniel McKee for his short fiction film, “if you never answered x”. The 27-year old London-based filmmaker from Worcester studied filmmaking at Arts University Bournemouth and was properly chuffed to receive the recognition. He said: “The Beer Town award really motivated me and gave me a much-needed boost to my career. It made the hours I spent on the film really count.” Daniel put his prize money straight back into making his next film. Sensible boy.
Beer Town Film Festival is now open for entries until 30th June 2020 and will end up in a weekend of festival events and screenings at The Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton-on-Trent from 2nd to 3rd October 2020. (There may be some beer involved!)
You’ve got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? …..Well, do ya punk?
Saturday 7th December will see us hosting our Christmas Festival from 12-3pm. Join us at our brewery on Shobnall Road, Burton on Trent, where you’ll be able to wonder around the mini Christmas market with local craft and food stalls, we’ll also have carol singers there to put you in a festive mood! Enjoy a pint of your favourite Marston’s beer or warm up with a hot chocolate and delicious hog roast.
We will have exclusive discounts in our brewery store on the day too, and best of all, it’s free to visit Santa’s grotto where every child will receive a gift. Gates open to the public at 12 noon – see you there!
Enjoy an afternoon of Beer and Racing with your friends and family at Marston’s Beer Festival Raceday on Saturday 16th November 2019!
The Marston’s Beer Festival Raceday returns for the 9th year to entertain racegoers with an exciting afternoon of great quality horse racing and fantastic tasting beers. Along with 7 top quality races, there’ll be the chance to sample top quality real ales including Marston’s Pedigree, Marston’s 61 Deep, Marston’s Saddle Tank, Jennings Cumberland and Brakspear Gravity. Plus, there’s live music before racing in the beer marquee from talented band Radio Murphy.
Visit https://www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk/whats-on/beer-festival for more information.
Marston’s 61 Deep takes the ‘reins’ as title sponsor of the 50th Midlands Grand National!
The ‘Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National’ is the jewel in Uttoxeter Racecourse’s horse racing crown. The second longest steeple chase in the country, the racecourse is a true test of stamina for both horse and jockey, with several of its previous winners going on to achieve glory at events such as the Aintree Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Taking place on Saturday 16th March, the sponsorship includes televised coverage on ITV4 and Skysports racing with three named races:
- Marston’s Pedigree Handicap Hurdle
- Marston’s 61 Deep Midlands Grand National
- Marston’s Brewery Novice’s Hurdle
Other assets include branding on outdoor poster sites, tickets and all communications about the race day. Across the racecourse, the new 61 Deep branded Grand Stand will be revealed along with race course and finish line perimeter boards, pennant flags, winner’s enclosure boards and even the number cloths.
With an expected 11,500 visitors, the majority from within a 50mile radius of the racecourse – this is a great local activation for the brand and kicks off the 61 days of 61 Deep activity driving consumer awareness and trial of the award-winning pale ale.
“Build it and they will come” said the man.
We dreamt big. And they came to Burton.
Our first film festival was such a blast we’ve gone and done it again in the best tradition of cinematic sequels: Beer Town Film Festival 2019 is open for entries from now until 2nd February 2019.
We’re inviting entries for short fiction, short documentary, animated and music video categories. New for this year we’ve added the ‘mobile 61’ category that must be shot on a mobile phone and must last exactly 61 seconds – everyone’s a movie maker these days, right?
In addition to all the category winners, judges are dishing out two spot prizes – including one for the best film made by ‘home-grown’ talent. Oh, and did we mention that winners in each of the categories win a cash prize of £500?
Best of all, the judges will choose an overall Beer Town Festival winner and they will collect £1,000 in prize money as well as the peer group plaudits, the new commissions, the social media love and a little bit of fame.
Judging will take place from March 2019 with winners being announced in May 2019.
Well, what are you waiting for?
“Lights, camera and….action!”
Burton businesses are brewing up exciting opportunities in the town as a new networking group launches in the country’s beer capital.
Burton Small Business, run by four, independent Burton companies with the aim of supporting business growth in the town, is teaming up with Marston’s Brewery to launch a new monthly get-together for all local businesses – a first for the brewery which has been at the Burton site since 1898.
MeetUp@Marstons will be held on the third Thursday of every month, with a launch event planned for Thursday February 16 from 6pm until 8pm at Marston’s newly-refurbished Shobnall Road Visitor’s Centre, DE14.
The DE14 site, which is home to Marston’s recently opened new 600-pint brewing line, will give visitors the chance to look behind the scenes at one of the town’s largest breweries.
This unique collaboration will also bring together businesses of all sizes, from sole traders and micro businesses to the town’s larger and more established companies to chat informally, find out more about each other and identify opportunities for growth and development.
Liz Strama, of Burton Small Business, said: “We know the importance of networking in helping to grow a business and form new relationships and opportunities. Marston’s is an integral part of our town and it is great to be able to work with them to launch this exciting, new, open networking opportunity.”
Lee Williams, Marketing Manager for Marston’s Brewery, said: “We are proud of our Burton roots and keen to be at the heart of the local business community. It’s appropriate that we’re launching our new networking event in the week of Valentine’s Day. Our beer goes out to the world with the message ‘From Burton with Love’ and we’d love to see as many local businesses as possible at our launch event to help us bring businesses together and brew up more success for the local economy.”
Admission to MeetUp@Marstons will cost £10 – payable on the door – and will include a speciality pie and drink. There will be no joining or membership fees and no restrictions on the number of businesses from any sector that can attend. To help plan the night, businesses are being asked to join the Facebook event at the new www.facebook.com/MeetUpMarstons page. More information is also available at www.burtonsmallbusiness.co.uk
Burton Small Business is run by writer and social media consultant Elaine Pritchard of Caittom Publishing, HR professional Liz Strama at HR Protected, award-winning animator Tilley Bancroft of Red Door Studios and journalist Cheryl Morris of Creative Word PR. The group is dedicated to providing support for town businesses and works closely with the Small Business Saturday movement each year to promote the importance of spending money locally.
In common with many of you, we’ve decide to have a few mates round for Christmas.
We’d like to invite you to our annual pre-Christmas bash on Saturday 10th December from 12 to 3pm. Christmas jumpers are welcome but not compulsory.
Enjoy sampling the odd beer or two – you can even try some of the trial brews from our brand new nano brewery called ‘DE14’ and see where the magic happens! Then tap your foot at some festive tunes whilst casting an eye over some potential Christmas goodies; local crafts, beer exclusives, beer hampers and beer merchandise. What else does the discerning beer fan need for Christmas?
Except for a good feed up of course – and that is magnificently provided by the hog roast, fish and chip van and a crepe stall.
Then there’s the big fella himself. When he’s not Ho-ho-ho-ing around on the dray pulled by his very own Shire Horse he’ll be ensconced in his Grotto listening to special requests on Christmas lists from the younger visitors.
Not only is there lots of free stuff for the kids to do but there is free parking, free entry and a free mince pie, as well us donating some of the takings to the Marston’s Charitable Fund.
Beer. Food. Presents. Santa. Mince pies.
It’s a lot to take in but that’s how we do Christmas parties in Burton.
For more info call us on 01283 507391 or email de14@marstons.co.uk
(We had you at ‘hog roast’ right?)
