Bingley Bantams are set to host a beer and gin festival at Valley Parade this summer.

The inaugural one-day event is to go ahead on Friday, July 13, with highlights including the launch of the Telegraph & Argus 150th anniversary beer.

Secretary of Bingley Bantams, Ian Taylor, is excited about the new venture, but said they wanted to keep the festival to one day initially because “we didn’t want to run before we could walk.”

Mr. Taylor said: “We’re planning on 500 people, we’ve got the beer ordered for 500 people, so I hope they turn up or the four of us are going to be very drunk.”

He added: “We’ve just been overwhelmed by the response we’ve had from local businesses. It’s not been that hard to sell sponsorship to them.”

The aim is to provide a fun festival that welcomes all, brings all aspects of the community together and, most importantly, doesn’t break the bank.

Tickets for the event are £10 and festival-goers can get pints from £3 and a single spirit and a mixer from £4. There will be plenty of choice for the punters with a host of esteemed businesses coming along for the event including Bradford Brewery, Idle Draper, Haworth Steam Gin, Brewdog, Bingley Brewery and Ghost.

The festival will also see the official release of the T&A’s very own brew in partnership with Bradford Brewery, which readers can still try and name as part of our 150th anniversary competition.

Mr. Taylor is delighted to be part of such a special occasion and said: “local paper, local brewery, local football club. It just all fits in to what we’re trying to do.”

The festival officially kicks off at 1pm on the Friday in the McCall-Hendrie suites. Organisers tried to get the festival based on the pitch itself, but the club understandably didn’t entertain the idea with it occurring during the height of pre-season.

Mr Taylor said proceedings will begin relatively calmly “so those that just want to come and have a quiet drink in the afternoon, can do.”

He added: “But in the evening, we’re going to really push the boat out with the music.”

There are currently four live acts booked headlined by well-known local act, Sawdust.

There will also be an oompah band to, in Mr Taylor’s words, “get people going.”

Mr Taylor said: “The response from the ex-City players has been unbelievable as well, so again, we’re really grateful.”

One of those attending the festivities will be ex-club stalwart, Gary Jones.

He wasn’t hard to convince, and Mr. Taylor added: “Gary’s just brilliant, he supports the club in any way he can.”

The Bingley Bantams are hoping to secure some other figures as the summer rolls around, but Simon Ramsden and Terry Dolan are two other names already on the list.

More information and tickets are available at: http://bingleybantams.co.uk/beerfestival.html