Keighley Railway: Yorkshire heritage station to host a beer and music festival transforming rail line into a steam-powered pub crawl
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Beer and Music Festival will return this October, transforming five miles of heritage railway into a steam-powered pub crawl.
Steam trains, real ale and live music will combine in this returning event for an autumn weekend through the heart of Bronte Country.
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Beer and Music Festival will take place from Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 2026.
Visitors can travel between festival venues aboard heritage steam and diesel trains, creating what has become known as ‘Yorkshire’s biggest steam powered pub crawl’.
Festival sites at Keighley, Ingrow and Oxenhope will each have their own selection of drinks and entertainment, with unlimited train travel between them included in rover tickets.
Hundreds of beers and ales will be on offer during the four-day festival, ranging from traditional Yorkshire favourites to independent and craft breweries.
There will also be cider, gin and wine, street food and live music at venues along the railway.
Among the event’s best-known features is the Keg Wall, which returns for 2026 alongside bars and pop-up venues across the line.
Thursday is again included in the programme, extending the festival to four days following strong demand in recent years.
The unusual combination of beer festival and working heritage railway has helped the event build a loyal following among beer drinkers and railway enthusiasts, as well as groups simply looking for a rather different autumn day out.
Noel Hartley, business and operations manager at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, said: “There really isn't anything else quite like it.
“For four days the whole railway becomes part of the festival. People aren't just arriving at a venue and staying there.
“They are travelling by train between different bars, music and food throughout the Worth Valley.
“You can have a pint, listen to a band, climb aboard a steam train and head off to see what is happening at the next station.
“We're now just four weeks away and preparations are well under way. It is always one of the liveliest weekends of the year on the railway and we're looking forward to welcoming everyone back in October.”