Jubilee Square is about to get loud. Brew Beat, Leicester’s free summer festival of live music, craft beer and street food, returns this weekend, and once again Arch Creative is behind the scenes making it happen.
We’ve led the design, marketing, project management and overall production of Brew Beat for six years now, working alongside BID Leicester, HQ Recording, Funk Nation, and The Real Ale Classroom. Watching it grow from a local get-together into one of the city’s most loved weekends is something we’re genuinely proud of, and this year’s edition might be the biggest yet.
What’s on this year
From Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September, Jubilee Square will host more than 30 live performances, three dedicated festival bars pouring over 30 craft beers, a full street food line-up and a dedicated family zone. Admission is completely free, and no tickets are required, so it’s as easy as turning up.
Now in its sixth year, Brew Beat has welcomed more than 30,000 visitors and become a genuine fixture in Leicester’s summer calendar. It’s a festival built around community, local talent and local business, which is exactly why we love working on it.
The lineup
Headlining this year are acclaimed soul funk band Smoove & Turrell, joined by a lineup that spans genres and generations. Expect rising R&B artist Aziza Jaye, electronic producer and DJ Submatic, A special DJ set by Tex from Leicester favourites Hard Life, indie outfit Harri Georgio & The Well Behaved and one of the city’s most exciting emerging bands, Pink Juice.
Funk, soul, jazz, indie, hip hop and electronic music will all get a stage across the weekend, with more than 20 hours of live music in total. All curated by our long term partners in the project, HQ Recording and Funk Nation.
Drink and dine your way through the weekend
Brew Beat’s drinks offering is one of the festival’s biggest draws. The main craft beer bar, hosted by Leicester’s The Real Ale Classroom, will pour more than 30 beers from breweries including Cloudwater, Two by Two, Braybrooke, Mill Hill Cask, Verdant and Polly’s. Audrey will be serving creative cocktails, and Sophys will be bringing its popular Slush, Spritz and Rum Bar.
On the food side, Giggling Squid brings Thai tapas, Grandma’s Cottage Deli serves up hot dogs and burgers, and city centre newcomer Madras Flavours adds bold Indian flavours to the mix, alongside Leicester’s favourite pizza from Dough What.
Family fun
Brew Beat isn’t just for the adults. Younger visitors can enjoy face painting from Space Pony Faces, circus skills workshops and a dedicated family fun zone, with more activities planned for the over weekend.
Why it matters
BID Leicester Director Simon Jenner said: “Brew Beat has become one of the highlights of Leicester’s events calendar because it offers something for everyone. Whether you’re coming to enjoy the live music, discover fantastic local food and drink or simply spend time with friends and family in the city centre, it’s a brilliant weekend with an atmosphere that’s hard to beat. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Jubilee Square this September.”
Our founder and Creative Director, Joe Nixon, added: “Six years in, Brew Beat still feels special to us. We’ve watched it grow from something local into a weekend people plan their summer around, and there’s nothing better than seeing Jubilee Square packed with people enjoying the music, the food and each other’s company. That’s exactly what we set out to build.”
Running festivals isn’t our bread and butter. Our day to day is branding, digital and campaign work across our core sectors, but we back projects like this as part of our commitment to the community we’re part of, and that’s exactly the kind of work we want to be doing alongside it.
For Brew Beat, we’ve led the creative development from the ground up, from the brand identity through to all of the associated assets that bring the festival to life each year. You can see the full breakdown in our Brew Beat case study, and more of our thinking in our piece on how great design brings festivals and events to life.
The details
Where: Jubilee Square, LE1 4LD, Leicester City Centre
When:
- Friday 4 September, 5:00pm to 10:00pm
- Saturday 5 September, 12:00pm to 10:00pm
- Sunday 6 September, 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Admission: Free, no tickets required
Follow Brew Beat on social media and head to the website for the latest on the lineup, drinks and food.
We’ll see you at Jubilee Square.
