A new independent festival is coming to Sheffield this summer, bringing together craft beer and live music with a focus on showcasing up and coming talent.
Pints of Sheffield was founded by local marketer Joe Rugg during lockdown as a way to keep pub culture alive while people were stuck indoors. Now, he is turning that idea into a real-world experience with the launch of Pintstock.
The festival aims to stand out from other events by focusing on independent craft beer and emerging artists, without what Mr Rugg describes as “compromise or gimmicks.”
“It’s all independent, craft beer… that’s the main difference with this event.” he said.
“I want it to be a festival of discovery, where people find a new favourite band alongside a really good beer line-up.”
With a background in marketing, Mr Rugg is now applying his experience to support Sheffield’s hospitality scene.
“Sheffield’s got such a strong pub and hospitality scene, and I want to help it grow.”
The idea for Pintstock has developed over several years, and has built on his experience running events in the city, including the Abbeydale Road Beer Festival in 2022. This time, he wanted control of his own event.
Mr Rugg said: “I really wanted to do something where I could make sure the customer experience was at the highest level possible.”
A key part of that vision is the emphasis on quality beer.
“When you go to festivals and you’re paying six quid for a Red Stripe, I don’t want that,” he said. “If I’m going to spend six quid on a beer, make it a really good one.”
Alongside the drinks, the festival will showcase emerging bands in a more intimate setting, giving audiences the chance to discover new music.
“There’s so much talent out there that people just don’t know about, and this is a chance to showcase that.
“I’d love this to become an event where bands say, ‘I really want to play at Pintstock.’ ”
Despite this being Pintstock’s debut, Mr Rugg is confident it has the potential to grow through word of mouth.
“The biggest salespeople for an event are the customers. If people have an amazing time, they’ll tell their mates.”
Pintstock is set to take place this June. To find out more about the event, click here.