THIS year’s Glusburn Fallfest will be held from September 22 to 24 in and around the historic Glusburn Institute Community and Arts Centre.

Festivities over the packed three-day festival commence on the Friday night with the highly acclaimed play by Jim Cartwright entitled Two.

The play, which has been performed professionally, is set in a typical pub in a northern working-class town and will be performed by the Falling Stars Theatre Company under the experienced eye of director Rebecca Durham.

This bittersweet piece offers a snapshot of the local community through the eyes and stories of the pub regulars.

Characters include the bickering hosts, an old lady who likes big men, and the physically abusive Roy. The audience are warned to expect belly laughs and tears along with their pint and packet of crisps.

Neil Pickles of Pickles Pubs said: “As ‘community partners’, our pub, The Old White Bear in Cross Hills, has supported Fallfest from the outset.

“This year’s theme is in keeping with our emphasis of keeping the pub as a focal point of the community, offering traditional values of excellent food, quality beers and most importantly, uncompromising levels of service to each individual customer’s preferences.”

Continuing the theme and new to this year is introducing the Fallfest Beer and GinFest.

This will be run by Kath Thornton of Haworth Beer Festival and will include a range of exclusive gins and more than 18 craft beers.

Organisers say the festival is aimed at people with a discerning palate, with a mix of real cask ales, gins and botanicals. They urge festivalgoers to remember: “anytime is gin o’clock”.

Session times are Friday from 8pm to 11pm, Saturday from noon 5:30pm and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. All beers are capped at £3 a pint with a £2 entry fee.

Sue Ingham, festival director, added: “As a not for profit organisation Fallfest is dependent to a great extent on the kind support by local businesses such as The Old White Bear.

“Such support helps sustain free events such as Saturday’s Farmers’ Market and Fun Day, as well as, indirectly our paid events such as our gala performance – this year we are delighted to welcome BRIT-Award winning singer/songwriter Beverley Craven, who headlines on Saturday, September 23.”

Headline performer Beverley Craven, who has had a string of hits over the past decades, is dropping in as part of a tour to promote her recent Up Close And Personal album which featured timeless classics.

Visit fallfest.co.uk or call 08438 868949 or 01535 632976 for further information and to book tickets.