The 23rd edition of The Farsons Great Beer Festival gets underway this evening (25 July) at 8.00pm. The Festival, which will run until Sunday 3 August, is being held at the National Park in Ta' Qali and will provide great entertainment for all the family. This year's Festival will start with performances from some of Malta's leading musicians and DJ's. Performers on the first night will include Lynn Chircop and her band, Sayari, and Winter Moods on the Main Stage and Skyn, Scar, and Trevor C on the World Beers Area Stage.

"Everything is now ready for this year's Farsons Great Beer Festival. Everyone involved has been working very hard to ensure that this year's Festival will be the best one ever. Those who come to Ta' Qali tonight will certainly be well entertained and enjoy some great music together with the great range of beers which Farsons produces and sells," said Mr Matthew Cuomo, the Festival Organiser.

The beer is the main feature of the Festival. The largest range of local brews and international award-winning beers will be served from 12 different bars. Visitors can choose from an array of great quality beers, including Cisk Lager, Hopleaf Smooth 'N' Creamy, and Blue Label Smooth 'N' Creamy. International beer brands include Cisk Export, Carlsberg, Budweiser, Guinness, Beck's, John Smith's, Kilkenny and Tetley's.

Beer enthusiasts also have the opportunity to enjoy the new Summer Festival Premium Golden Lager. This is the first brew of a new Farsons Special Brews series, consisting of four brews of the highest quality, each linked to the different seasons of the year. Summer Festival 2003 is available in limited quantities.

For the first time this year, the Farsons Great Beer Festival is offering an official Festival mug to beer drinkers to carry back home with them. The mug can be purchased at the Classic Brews Bar during the Festival. A limited stock of these mugs makes them a unique collector's item.