Marble celebrates 125th birthday with talks, music, quizes & a beer festival

Manchester brewing mainstay Marble is 125 years old this year – and to celebrate, it will host a series of free events over the summer. With most events taking place at the brewery’s largest ale house, Marble Arch on Rochdale Road (pictured), its programme features a beer festival as well as ‘Victorian games day’ (tug o’ war, anyone?) and several top secret events (see full programme here). With festivities kicking off this week, we pick out five of our highlights for the month ahead…

Gangs of Manchester talk by Andy Davies
The author of The Gangs of Manchester tells the story of the scuttlers – the territorial youth gangs of Victorian Manchester and Salford. Covering turf wars from 1870s through to the 1890s, Davies highlights the likes of the Bengal Tigers from Ancoats and Salford’s Buffalo Bill mob in this enlightening talk.
Tue 11 Jun, The Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY, Tel: 0161 832 5914, 7pm, FREE

Special edition pub quiz
The Marble Arch’s quiz is hosted by the pub’s Rich for this special edition to test your Manchester knowledge. It’s £1 per person to enter, with teams up to eight members – and first prize a gallon of beer.
Tue 25 Jun, The Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY, Tel: 0161 832 5914, 8.30pm, £1 per member

Gangs of Manchester tour
See Andy Davies’ aforementioned book brought to life, with a walking tour that takes in the rise and fall of this earliest recorded instance of a youth culture that emerged from the slums of industrial Manchester and Salford. Led by Emma Fox of Manchester Guided Tours, the walk starts at Barton Arcade, just off Deansgate, and ends at the Marble Arch
Sun 28 Jul, Starts at Barton Arcade, Deansgate, M3 2BW, 1pm, FREE but advanced booking essential – email birthday@marblebeers.com or book at the Marble Arch

Beer festival
A four-day-long celebration of Marble’s birthday, featuring brewers from Blackjack, Brodies, Buxton, De Molen, Fullers, Hawkshead, Kernel, Magic rock, Marble USA, Partizan, Pictish, Phoenix, Quantum, Red Willow and Whim. The festival also welcomes Willy Drennan and his Folkabilly band from Northern Ireland – as well as top secret pop-up shows. Thursday is IPA day.
Thu 1 – Sun 4 Aug, The Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY, Tel: 0161 832 5914, various times, £TBC – register your interest by emailing birthday@marblebeers.com

Dr Butler’s Hatstand Medicine Band
Dr Butler’s Hatstand Medicine Band will present to you their good time rags and reels, music for foot-stomping and toe-tickling that joins hearts with flesh while invigorating the thinking mind.
Sat 17 Aug, The Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY, Tel: 0161 832 5914, 8.30pm, FREE

Check out Marble Beers’ website for full details.