A renowned beer festival is set to take over the grounds of Rugby Park this summer.
The home of Kilmarnock FC is set to be transformed for the one-day event on Saturday, June 14 showcasing Scotland’s best breweries and street food.
The community event will also feature gin, cocktails and wine with an array of entertainment and live music still to be announced.
The Kilmarnock Beer Fest has been organised by Killie fan and Stewarton native Fraser Wilson and his friend James Taylor.
Fraser told the Standard: “Kilmarnock is a fantastic town that holds a special place in my heart.
“I grew up in a neighbouring town, I worked here for years and spent many an evening frequenting the bars and clubs here when I was younger – and also, when I was not so young.
“On top of that, I’m a massive Killie fan and I’m really excited about what we’re planning.”
Fraser has been running the award-winning Eaglesham Beer Festival for almost ten years.
A journalist to trade, Fraser also helped James, who was Stewarton United president at the time, set up the much-loved Stewarton Beer Festival in 2019.
Now the Stewarton lads have teamed up again to bring the best of Scottish food and drink to town, with James hopeful they can recreate the success of the Eaglesham and Stewarton events in Kilmarnock.
Finance worker James added: “The festival is not about coming to Kilmarnock and trying to make a quick buck – it’s about working with local businesses and service providers to put on a fantastic community event that benefits the town and which we can all be proud of.
“And if it is a success that is welcomed by locals, then hopefully it is something we can add to the list of great annual events already on show here.”
Tickets for the Saturday, June 14 event go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 7.
Before going on general sale, however, there will be an in-person ticket sales event at The Park Hotel on Thursday, February 27 from 6pm to 9.30pm.
This is to ensure that locals are given first dibs at tickets, without having to pay online booking fees.
Fraser told the Standard: “We do a tickets sales event in the village for EagBeerFest and it is one of my favourite parts of organising the event.
“It’s a great way to kick-start the year after a difficult month (January) and you really feel the buzz from the community, who can’t wait for summer to come along.
“We’re also always really glad to ensure that locals get first dibs on tickets. It’s an event for the local community and we want to make sure they are given every opportunity to attend.”
For more information on the event, tickets and who will be pouring, make sure and follow the festival’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.
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