Days out

The barrels have been rolled out and the sax is standing by for today’s start of the 25th Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival
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Real Ale and Jazz Festival starts today

July 19, 2012

The barrels have been rolled out and the sax is standing by for today’s start of the 25th Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival.

The annual event is a major fundraiser for high-flying Reading Hockey Club and organisers say it is going to hit all the right notes in its silver year.

More than 1,800 tickets had been sold by the end of last week – and that is double 2011’s figure.

Pints of local beers and ciders will be pulled, and this year’s selection of 22 breweries includes Ascot Ales, Loddon Brewery, Rebellion Beer Company from Marlow and Windsor and Eton Brewery.

The Lambourn Valley Cider Company will be bringing along its finest, as will Tutts Clump and Salt Hill Cider from Slough. And you needn’t worry that rain will water down your drink – everything is in a gigantic marquee.

The Jive Aces, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists, will be getting the whole thing off to a flying start, along with Laura B and the Moonlighters.

Swing Fever and the Red Stripe Band will be making sure everyone says thank God it’s Friday, The Old Thumper Jazz Band and Ray Harris and the Fusion Experience are tuning up for the last night, when Bob Kerr’s Whoopee Band will also close the festival in their inimitable style.

Those who do whoop it up at the festival will be helping the country’s premier hockey club, which boasts Olympic players among its 11 men’s teams and seven ladies’ teams.

All the money from the festival will help with initiatives like maintaining the water-based pitch, plans for two new pitches and supporting colts development programmes.

If you want to help the club by lifting a pint, sharing the hog roast and enjoying some red-hot jazz, tickets for the Christchurch Meadows, Caversham, event are available online at raaj.info/tickets.

They are also at 3 Ways Physiotherapy in Headley Road, Woodley, the Black Horse pub in Emmer Green and Hickies Music Store in Friar Street.

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