A POPULAR town ale, food and entertainment festival is to return.

Mold’s NovemberFest will take place this year on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (November 9, 10 and 11) St Mary’s Church Hall in King Street - as well as at numerous venues throughout the town.

Upwards of 30 real ales, pilsner lager, ciders and wine will be available for festival goers along with entertainment.

For the first time festival will be able to taste special 'Craft Keg' beers which are giving rise to some exciting new flavours and tastes. Ian Ogden, chairman of Vale of Clwyd CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) branch, said: “Craft Keg beers are generally served at a lower temperature, more lightly carbonated and aggressively hopped than traditional cask ales.

"It provides a unique taste that many people enjoy.”

Mold’s own independent brewery, Hafod Brewing Company, has also been busy brewing a brand new beer called 'Homegrown'.

To create this unique brew, head brewer Phill Blanchard handpicked the wild hops metres from the brewery to create a truly local beer that offers a fresh, herbal element with subtle spicy and earthy notes. Wild hops grow across the UK and many breweries around the UK have been busy harvesting such hops to brew this seasonal 'green' beer, which unusually uses fresh, green hops, rather than the usual dried hops.

Mr Blanchard said: “I’ve tried to create something quite different this year for Novemberfest using the most local of brewing ingredients – hops. I’m sure it will go down well.”

The entertainment line-up this year features soul and boogie band Soulfire on Friday evening, followed by a Saturday afternoon performance by Cold Turkey with the popular Paul Reaney and friends, who return once again with their blues style acoustic favourites.

On Saturday evening this year is the popular local cover band Forever Delayed.

Novemberfest is organised by Mold Town Council with support from Buckley and Mold Lions Club, Vale of Clwyd CAMRA branch and enthusiastic volunteers from the community and is used to raise funds in support of other events organised in the Mold area.

This year a contribution will also be made from unused Beer vouchers to the British Legion, in support of its 100-year anniversary fund raising campaign, to commemorate the end of the First World War.

There will also be an opportunity for attendees to vote for their favourite ale over the weekend and competition for the accolade of champion ale of NovemberFest.

Councillor Karen Hodgkinson, mayor of Mold, said: “NovemberFest is growing in popularity year on year and I know that 2018 will be even more so with some fantastic new beers, the great entertainment programmed and great 'beer food' really adding to the festival.

“Novemberfest wants to ensure that everyone is catered for so wines, prosecco and soft drinks will also be available and we’ll even make a cup of tea on request.”

Dave Hill, Mold town manager and chair of the organising committee, added: “Each year the evening sessions can sell out as NovemberFest is understandably such a popular event, so it’s advisable to get tickets as soon as possible.”

Tickets can be purchased from Mold Town Hall during office hours, Bargain Booze at 62 High Street, Wetherspoons Gold Cape and Mold Ale House in Earl Road.

Tickets can also be purchased online at www.moldnovemberfest.org.uk where regular event updates and all the details on the beers and bands can be found alongside prices for individual sessions.