Midsummer Beer Happening secures sponsors to boost charity drive

Staff from Maphie brewing the Midsummer Beer Happening’s festival beer for 2023.

Coming on board as major partners for the three-day event, to be held in the town’s Baird Park from Thursday June 15 to Saturday June 17 are major food producer Macphie, Simpsons Malt Limited, Whittaker Engineering, EnerQuip, and the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society Scotland (RHASS).

They join long-term partners of the Happening, including Six Degrees North, The Bay On The Road, Bike Remedy, WM Donald, Colin Lawson Transport and Contentli.

Happening organiser Robert Lindsay said: “We cannot thank enough the new partners who have joined us this year, along with our long-term partners. It is heartening to see that level of support for the Happening and recognition of what the festival means for Stonehaven and the people who live here.

“Our partners’ support will be crucial in helping the Happening cope with the rising costs faced by so many events and organisations. This will help enable the festival - and its thousands of visitors - to support the good causes who do so much for others and for the town.”

The festival has raised more than £247,000 for charity since it first started in 2009 as the Stonehaven Real Ale Festival.

Last year it was able to disburse more than £62,000 to local causes.

The main partner for this year’s event will be Macphie, the internationally renowned ingredients manufacturer and food producer based in Glenbervie.

Macphie chairman Alastair Macphie said: “Over the years The Stonehaven Midsummer Beer Happening has attracted thousands of people to the area, all while raising an incredible amount of money for local charities.

“It has grown to become a much-anticipated event in our community and to play a part in its ongoing development is a pleasure for us.”

A team from Macphie recently spent the day at Six Degrees North’s brewery at Laurencekirk to help brew this year’s special Happening beer.

The pale ale will be the welcoming drink for the thousands of visitors expected to flock to the purpose-built marquee in the town’s Baird Park.

The partner for the Happening’s Cycle Sportive – which attracts 1,000 riders tackling four different, but challenging routes – will be Simpsons Malt, a fifth-generation, family-owned business providing the highest quality malts to brewers and distillers around the world.

Richard Simpson, Vice Chair of Simpsons Malt Limited, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting our friends at Six Degrees North Brewery in renewing our sponsorship of Midsummer Beer Happening for 2023.

“Given the significant sums of money raised for local groups, charities and organisations in the Stonehaven area, the festival’s values align closely with our own, and we look forward to attending what is sure to be another very successful staging of an event that features beers from some of the best craft breweries in the country.”

Stonehaven- based Whittaker Engineering, will be this year’s volunteer partner, tying in with the hundreds of volunteers who step forward to help run the event, from setting up the marquee to pulling pints.

The firm, which has offered quality turn-key manufacturing, design and engineering solutions for the global Energy industry and offshore construction projects since 1983, said it was proud to support the Midsummer Beer Happening.

The company said: “The Happening is a great event which does a lot of fantastic things for the local community.

"This year we celebrate 40 years in business, making this sponsorship part of our Ruby anniversary celebrations.”

Meanwhile, Aberdeenshire-based torque machine manufacturing specialist EnerQuip will be partner for the Happening’s entertainment strand, while RHASS will partner the al fresco food court.

The Bay On The Road – the mobile arm of Stonehaven’s world-famous The Bay Fish & Chips – is a long-term supporter and sponsor of the beer festival.

Chef/director Calum Richardson said: “Not only does it bring a lot of people into Stonehaven but the MSBH raises a lot of money for a lot of great causes all through raising a glass of cold stuff and bringing a lot of less known beers to the limelight. What’s not to love?”

The charities to be supported by the Midsummer Beer Happening this year include Stonehaven’s life-saving RNLI crew and the town’s Sea Cadets, as well as the world-famous Fireballs ceremony.

Also being supported by the Happening will be Stonehaven Folk Festival, Stonehaven Men’s Shed, Stonehaven Lions, Stonehaven Youth Rugby, Stonehaven Cricket Club, Rhythm Dance Nation, Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool, and Mearns FM.

For more information and tickets for the Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven visit msbh.co.uk