PIG ROASTS, stick throwing and continental drinking are all on the agenda for this year’s Headington Beer Festival.

The Masons Arms in Quarry School Place will be hosting the 14th consecutive beer festival from Friday through to Sunday and organisers have said it’s going to be better than ever.

The pub was named the Campaign for Real Ale’s Oxford Pub of the Year last year, after being awarded the Camra title three times before.

The event will feature 45 real ales from Oxfordshire and beyond, 15 of the country’s finest ciders and a Belgian beer bar.

Licensee and co-owner of the pub Chris Meeson said: “The Belgian bar was something we brought in last year and it was really popular – it’s somewhere that we’re showcasing Belgian beers and it’s a bit different.

“We’ve been doing it for a while now and it just seems to be getting bigger and bigger.”

Last year the streets of Headington Quarry were teeming with activity.

More than 800 beer lovers came to the festival and this week Mr Meeson hopes to beat that.

During the three-day festival there will be barbecues, an Aunt Sally match between Oxford and Aylesbury, and a pig roast on Saturday evening.

On Saturday night the festival will also feature live music from Headington-based mod rock band Icon.

As well as featuring a variety of beers from across the country, the festival will boast Headington’s very own ale.

Mr Meeson’s brother Andrew set up the Old Bog Brewery in the grounds of the Masons Arms 10 years ago.

The micro-brewery produces a four per cent golden ale.

It was the first brewery to open in Oxford since the Morrells Brewery in St Thomas’s closed in 1999.

The father-of-two said: “We have plans to expand the business, we’re hoping on doing that in the near future.”

Mr Meeson said it is important for residents to support independent pubs. He added: “It’s important that people rally around their community pubs now more than ever.

Pubs have been closing left, right and centre in Headington.

“I’ve seen the Quarry Gate, Crown and Thistle, Fox, Ampleforth Arms and Shotover Arms all close.

“They’re all in spitting distance of us, but people seem to like what we’re doing here and the beer festival just helps us showcase what we do.”

The Masons Arms has been run by Mr Meeson, his two brothers and his mother for the last 18 years.

The Headington Beer Festival is free and will be running all day between Friday and Sunday.

For more information, visit themasonsarmshq.co.uk