The opening weekend of the Farsons Great Beer Festival has been hailed a great success, as thousands of people and their families flocked to the Festival at the National Gardens in Ta' Qali. They sampled the local and international lagers and ales and enjoyed the variety of entertainment in a festive atmosphere within a relatively cool, outdoor environment.

The Festival Organiser, Mr Matthew Cuomo said: "The first three evenings kicked off to a good start with a variety of local entertainment, delicious food and 12 different bars serving a great range of beer. With our reliance on lighting generators, the Festival has been unaffected by recent power cuts in various localities around the island." The Festival, which continues until Sunday 3 August, opens at 8.00pm daily and entrance is free.

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. "It's great to see patrons enjoying a good pint in their official Festival mug, especially as they are only available in limited quantities, making them a unique collector's item," said Mr. Cuomo. The mug can be purchased at the Classic Brews Bar during the Festival.

Apart from the variety of beer and food stalls serving international cuisines, visitors can also enjoy live music. The Festival is a display of Maltese talent from a number of top local singers, bands, dancers and DJs.

This evening's entertainment on the Main Stage will start at around 9.00pm with the participation of Philippa Farrugia Randon, followed by the group Moving Bodies Amalgamations of Danz. The William Mangion Show Band will hit the stage at around 11.00pm. Fans of alternative music will be able to enjoy the sounds of Marvic Lewis (unplugged), Beangrowers and dj Toby on the World Beers Area Stage.

The Ta' Qali National Park offers ample parking facilities and is easily accessible from various parts of the island.

A schedule of the performances on both the Main Stage and the World Beers Stage is available here: www.farsons.com/beerfestival.