2025 Dates...

Buy your tickets online soon from See Tickets

This outlet accepts all major credit / debit cards. Also pay with PayPal or Master Pass.

Booking fees apply

Welcome . . .

. . . to Rail Ale Festival's dedicated website, where you can keep up-to-date with news of Rail Ale 2025 – celebrating 25 years of Rail Ale – including ticket outlets, links to our sponsors, beer lists and confirmed musical acts.

You will also find regular updates on the Rail Ale Festival on our social media feeds on Facebook, X and on Instagram.

Tickets for Rail Ale 2025 – the most atmospheric and unique music and drinks festival of the year – are now on sale!

To celebrate 25 years of Rail Ale, the 2025 Festival will take place over FOUR DAYS from Thursday 15th May to Sunday 18th May 2025.

We have some amazing music lined up for your entertainment. Rail Ale Rock Night on Thursday 15th May will bring Queen tribute band Flash back to the Roundhouse stage following their hugely successful debut at Rail Ale 2023. Headlining Rail Ale on Friday night will be Jungle Lion, the Sheffield-based SKA and reggae band. On Saturday the Rail Ale Festival will go into Swedish super group mode with Lets ABBA Party. Our special Sunday afternoon addition to the 2025 Festival calendar will be a celebration of everything Country with Shania & Friends, a tribute to the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain.

We’ve got some more great music acts lined up throughout the Festival and we’ll be putting more information on here and on our social media pages over the coming months.

Festival goers can buy tickets for each session of the Festival – or you can treat yourself to a four-day Rail Ale Weekend Pass, which includes entry to Rail Ale Rock Night on Thursday 15th May.

Want to make your Festival experience even more special? Camper van and caravan pitches are available for all four nights of the Rail Ale Festival – you can book your overnight stay alongside your Festival entry ticket at www.seetickets.com. Pitches are available on a first come, first served basis.

As well as the music, we mustn’t forget all those lovely beers and ciders, the renowned Rail Ale Gin Palace and, of course, the Rail Ale trains!

To quench the thirst there will be over 400 real ales from around the country including many brewed locally in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, a great range of ciders and craft beers, the hugely popular Rail Ale Gin Palace and a sprinkling of sparkle with the Prosecco & Wine bar.

For music lovers there will be fantastic live music in the marquee and on the main stage from jazz and brass through acoustic, funk and soul to rock and roll.

The Street Food Court will be on hand to provide you with a tasty range of food to suit every appetite from pork pies to pizza and hog roast to noodles.

Between 12noon and 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the popular Rail Ale train will be running for our visitors. The dedicated shuttle bus service will also be running from Chesterfield railway station into the Festival on all four days.

Please note that although we welcome children at Rail Ale, all under 18s must leave the Festival by 6.00pm on each day. This is strictly an adults-only event from 6.00pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thank you for your cooperation.

Thursday 15th May will be our Trade and VIP day and we are now taking bookings for this. If you are a publican, brewer or supplier to the brewery industry and would like to attend the Trade Day please email us at tradesession@railalefestival.com

If you would like further information on our Rail Ale Festival VIP packages please email: VIPevents@railalefestival.com.

Thank you everyone and see you soon!

Please note that although we welcome children at Rail Ale, all under 18s must leave the Festival at 5.00pm on each day.  This is strictly an adults-only event from 5.00pm.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Rail Ale Rock Night with FLASH

Flash has earned its place as the UK’s premier live Queen tribute band, dedicated to replicating the magic of Queen's iconic live performances. Endorsed by the BBC as "as close as it gets," Flash has mastered the art of capturing the raw energy and passion that defined Queen's legendary shows. No other tribute band comes close to emulating the musical prowess and stage presence that made Queen a global phenomenon.

Flash goes beyond the musical experience, offering a pure visual feast with authentic costumes and identical instruments, making every performance not just a musical treat but a visual spectacle. 

Flash has headlined some of the UK’s largest festivals, including the annual Fake Festival Tour, Marvellous Festival, and GlastonBarry. The band has headlined at Glastonbudget, one of the UK's biggest tribute band festivals, and they have taken their tribute to Queen to international stages, regularly performing in Europe and captivating audiences around the world.

Supported by Brüde, taking you on a classic Rock ‘n Roll ride.

Please note this is an all-standing event.

Where to stay - special offer

Wanting to make the most of your visit to the Rail Ale Festival and explore the Chesterfield area during your stay? 

Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa is a beautiful 19th century Grade 2 manor house set amongst 6 acres of formal award-winning gardens and surrounded by 29 acres of parkland.  The hotel is only a short hop in the car or a 20-minute walk to Barrow Hill Roundhouse, the venue for the Rail Ale Festival.  

Use the discount code “Barrow10” when booking your stay and you will get 10% of the hotel’s best available rates.  Visit the hotel website 
www.ringwoodhallhotel.com to make your booking and use the discount code when requested.

Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa, Ringwood Road, Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ
Tel: +44 (0)1246 280077

2024 SPONSORS