A CHARITY beer festival is returning to the Wicket at Ruskin from this evening featuring a weekend full of live music, sport and real ale.

Taking place on August 27 and 28, the free event aims to be “back with a bang” after a two-year hiatus.

Friday night’s guests will be entertained with “fantastic, funky and fast” Irish music from Roisin Dubh, while Saturday night will have a clubland atmosphere with DJ Pete Walsh performing Ibiza sounds.

There will be competition from local rugby legends to win the much-coveted Tag Rugby Cup, with the weekend’s live sports also being broadcast.

In addition to the weekend's activities, craft beers from around the world will be stocked at the festival to satisfy all real ale lovers.

To ensure the event assists the wider community, the festival will once again raise funds for St Helens Autism Support, with a heap of local businesses sponsoring the event.

This year’s event will take the fundraising tally up to £12,000 and both Ruskin and the charity have been overwhelmed by the support they’ve received from local businesses.

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Trustee of St Helens Autism Support, Steven Hockenhull said: “With so much of our fund and awareness raising done through events, we’re really pleased to be back working with Ruskin and can’t thank the sponsors enough.”

Festival organiser, Nikki Spencer added “All the local, independent businesses who’ve had such a difficult 18 months have continued to be amazingly supportive of the charity and the event and we’re very grateful to them.

“We’ve filled the weekend with lots of live music, live sport and great beers and are looking forward to putting on a good festival.”