Originally part of the Hastings Carnival, which had traditionally been organised by Hastings Round Table, the Hastings Beer and Music Festival started life in 1982 in the Lower Park at Alexandra Park, Hastings. The event featured a election of local beers supplied by the landlord of the Queens Head, Icklesham, served from a 30ft beer tent, plus local jazz bands who played in the beer marquee. Profit, which was not achieved until the second event, was used to fund goodwill projects in the town.

Organised by a committee made up from the Hastings Round Table membership, the event grew in popularity to the point where, in 1992, it made £13,000 for charity. In 1993, torrential rain flooded the park during the Saturday night of the event, and profits of only £8,000 were made. The stage, which at the time was 2 articulated lorry trailers put side on side, was unusable and again the predominantly jazz bands played in the marquee.

The weather situation alerted the organisers to the potential risk that the event carried, and in 1994 contracts were re-negotiated, and the partnership arrangement with the brewery that supplied the beer was terminated. As a result of frugal housekeeping, in 1994 the event made a huge £23,000 for charity.1995 was another good year for the event, with headline band "No Way Sis" and other coverbands taking to the stage. Profits of £30,000 were made and distributed.

1996 was to be the last beer festival held on the lower lawn of Alexandra Park. An underground storm water drain is under construction still from the site, so in 1997 the Beer and Music Festival, as it had now become known, moved to it's new site. But the organisation of the event was too much for a committee made up of just Hastings Round Table - so, in return for a cut of the profit for their own charities - a committee was formed featuring representatives from Battle and Bexhill Round Tables, as well as Hastings Ladies Circle.

The 1997 event was one of the biggest - a new arena area, a new catering franchise, a bigger bar area and more risk for the organisers - but a brilliant return - £45,000 profit to be spent on good causes in the community ranging from computers for schools, through to wheelchairs, table trolleys, youth club Karaoke machines, etc etc etc. But the stakes were getting higher - and so it was agreed that for 1998 and beyond the event would be managed by a limited company - Hastings Beer and Music Festival Ltd, with profits decreed directly to a charitable trust for use by the local Round Tables to continue their good works.

The 1998 festival saw an excellent line up on the stage - and what a stage it was. A brand new dome covered stage - yes, gone for the first time ever were the curtainsider lorries that we had come to love- and the effect was brilliant. The 1997 event - Jazz in the Park - proved so popular that it was done again in 1998

Whilst the 1999 event made profits for Charity in excess of £50,000, the return made from Jazz event resulted in an early decision not to repeat the Jazz afternoon in the year 2000. A new record achievement was made in 2000 with profits of £65,000 but weather adversely affected 2001 profits of pound £35,000.

2001 - 2004 saw the emphasis on music and beer grow together with similar profits for charity.

The 2005 festival was to be another turning point in the history of the festival. The festival managed to sign Keane, an 'A' list band formed locally. The headlined the festival on the Thursday evening delivering record breaking profits for the event and £70,000 directly to St. Michaels Hospice. It has to be said that the boys did do the gig for free which obviously helped the bottom line. The festival managed to sell out twice its normal quota of red and white wine and sold out of Corona!

2006 was the 25th anniversary of the Hastings Beer and Music Festival. The committee took the brave decision to try and emulate the success of 2005's band by buying in an 'A' list act. Status Quo stepped up to the challenge as part of their 'the party ain't over tour...'.

Regular press releases are made covering profits made to local charities - look out for articles in your local observer.