Ale fans are set to gather for the 23rd Macclesfield Beer Festival, which takes place this weekend.

The annual event, which has raised £100,000s for charity and last year welcomed more than 4,000 visitors, will take place at Macclesfield Rugby Club in the evenings of Friday and Saturday, May 5 & 6, with a free family event on Saturday afternoon.

Ben Whiteley, from Macclesfield Beer Festival committee, urged ale fans to book as soon as possible, with tickets selling fast. He said : “Once again we have a fantastic selection of beers, perries, ciders and wines on offer, as well as a great selection of food and live music.

“This year we will be raising money for another fantastic cause - the Seashell Trust - tickets are selling fast, so we would encourage people to get their tickets sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment.

“We are all looking forward to next weekend, and would like to thank everyone who supports us year-after-year to raise money for such amazing local charities.”

Macclesfield bands Monkey Harris and The Big Jam will be performing at the festival during the evening sessions, and guests attending the Saturday day time session can enjoy family entertainment and live music from Manchester-based folk and indie performer Kamal Arafa, and Hugo Kensdale, who performs a mix of alternative folk, rock and pop music.

Throughout the festival, guests will be able to enjoy over 200 beers, with a huge selection of local ales, including offerings from Macclesfield’s Storm and Red Willow breweries. There will also be a large selection of Welsh beers, pale ales and IPAs, including rare beers.

There will also be ciders and perries, along with a wide variety of wine and Prosecco, to meet increased demand from last year’s festival.

There will also be a range of soft drinks and a variety of food options, including a hog roast, burgers, sandwiches and pies.

Tickets for both the Friday and Saturday evening sessions cost £10 each.

The proceeds raised will go to the Seashell Trust; a charity for children, young people and adults with sensory impairment, profound learning and communication difficulties.

For tickets go to MacclesfieldBeerFestival.org.

The 2017 Macclesfield Beer Festival is supported by main sponsors SAS Daniels and Big Brand Ideas.