Centred around dark and winter beers produced by the brewers of Victoria’s High Country, Bright Brewery will host Darker Days on June 30 to showcase local produce and activities that celebrate winter in Victoria’s Alpine Valleys.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the family-friendly festival will bring together local producers, operators, entertainers, beer lovers and families to toast the season and welcome the return of lighter days following the Winter Solstice.

Bright Brewery marketing manager and festival director James Davidson said there was a fantastic response to the first Darker Days festival last year.

“I love providing the opportunity to showcase the region’s best dark and winter beers while surrounded by a festival that turns winter dreariness into a fun, fire-filled and delicious day out,” he said.

“We learned a great deal from our first crack at running a festival last year, including the need to provide more food and warming drinks, more fire and … just more of everything!

“So, we started planning early to ensure that Darker Days is bigger and better this year, adding new vendors while also maintaining the relaxed atmosphere of a mid-winter festival surrounded by mountains, fire, food, stories and song.”

Mr Davidson said new additions to this year’s festival included Yackandandah whisky producers Backwoods Distilling Co and Beechworth’s Asylum Ghost Tours.

He said Asylum Ghost Tours crew would tell ghost stories around the fires and lead a ghost tour around the haunted streets of Bright.

“Darker Days will also mark the 2018 launch of Bright Brewery’s annual winter brew, Stubborn Russian Imperial Stout, and will see the return of our other limited release winter favourite, Black Diamond India Black Ale,” Mr Davidson said.

“Most of all, I can’t wait to taste the dark beer delights that the other brewers of North East Victoria create for Darker Days 2018.”

Darker Days is a community-minded festival flowing with locally produced beers, wine, cider and spirits, plus warming foods, live music, children’s entertainment and winter activities.

After the sun sets, Bright Brewery’s riverside lands will come alive with a spectacular ceremonial burning of a giant wooden structure in the shape of the brewery’s logo.

The festival will run from noon to 9pm at 123 Great Alpine Road, Bright (Bright Brewery’s vacant block), with entry a gold coin donation for the CFA.

For more details visit: brightbrewery.com.au/darkerdays