Lancaster Castle is many things — a Norman fortress, a Crown Court, a tourist attraction. On 15 and 16 May 2026, it becomes something else entirely: a craft beer festival inside a working Victorian prison wing.
The Behind Bars Craft Beer Festival returns to Lancaster Castle for its second year after selling out completely in 2025. Three sessions across two days. Up to 50 craft beers. Private access to the medieval 1093 Keep, the Victorian A-wing prison block, and the secluded castle chapel courtyard. And if you want to go all in, a private prison cell for you and five friends is available to hire.
The Event
Dates: Friday 15 May and Saturday 16 May 2026
Sessions: Friday evening (6pm–10pm) · Saturday afternoon (1pm–5pm) · Saturday evening (6pm–10pm)
Tickets: £20 per session — includes entry, private access to the Keep and HMP Lancaster A-wing, and a commemorative glass to take home. Book at behindbarscbf.co.uk
Private cell hire: £195 for up to six people — includes entry for all six, bench and tables, 12 drinks tokens, and early VIP entry
Capacity is strictly limited and last year sold out quickly. Don't wait.
What Makes This Different
Most beer festivals happen in marquees or civic halls. Behind Bars is in a building that held its last prisoner in 2011 — the Victorian A-wing of HMP Lancaster Castle, inside one of the oldest continuously occupied castles in England.
The A-wing hosts the best of UK craft breweries. The 1093 Keep — dating to the reign of William II — features local Lancaster and North West breweries. Partner breweries for 2026 include Farm Yard Brew Co (Cockerham), Fell Brewery (Flookburgh), Lakes Brew Co (Kendal), and Lune Brew Co (Galgate) — all within the Lancaster and Lake District area. Evening sessions get the full castle courtyard, closed to the public, in addition to the prison and Keep.
Street food comes from Ninja Wraps, a Lancaster favourite, and local musicians play throughout.
The Connection to Lancaster's Best Pubs
Behind Bars is organised by Tim Tomlinson, whose Lancaster pubs include The White Cross and Merchants 1688. The White Cross is one of Lancaster's canal-side beer gardens, and Merchants 1688 holds an AA 1 Rosette in a 17th-century cellar next to the castle. Both feature in our full guide to Lancaster's most historic pubs.
The same care for quality craft beer and historic Lancaster spaces runs through Behind Bars. It's the same DNA.
Before or After the Festival
Lancaster Castle sits at the top of the hill, a five-minute walk from the city centre. If you're coming in for a session, the obvious pre- or post-festival pubs are right nearby:
Merchants 1688 — literally next door to the castle. Sheltered courtyard, AA Rosette food, excellent ales. Book ahead if you're going before the festival — it fills up on event days.
The Sun Hotel & Bar — five minutes' walk down Church Street. South-facing courtyard that catches afternoon sun perfectly. Good for a pre-festival lunch.
The Three Mariners — Lancaster's oldest pub, two minutes from the castle on Bridge Lane. Gravity-fed cellar, cobbled courtyard, and the kind of atmosphere that makes sense when you're about to spend the evening in a medieval Keep.
The White Cross — Tim Tomlinson's flagship, on the canal about 10 minutes' walk from the castle. Canal-side courtyard, covered sections, food all day, and useful if you want a quieter stop around the festival sessions.
Use the Golden Pints live tracker to check sun scores for all of these before you head out — particularly useful for the Saturday afternoon session when you'll want to know which courtyard is in the sun.
Tickets
Last year sold out. Book now at behindbarscbf.co.uk.
Sessions: Friday 15 May at 6pm · Saturday 16 May at 1pm and 6pm. £20 per session, commemorative glass included.