IT'S all hail to the ale as The Big Swally comes to Dunfermline tomorrow (Saturday).

Colin Gardner opened the Caledonian Craft Beer Merchant shop in Maygate in April 2019 and had planned a one-year celebration event to be held at the Glen Pavilion.

Unfortunately, it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Two years on, the new event, called The Big Swally, will finally take place at the venue in Pittencrieff Park on Saturday from 2-8pm, and has been sold out for months in advance.

On the day, people will be able to sample a range of excellent craft beers that have been made by some of the best craft breweries in Scotland and England, as well as cider and cocktails.

Colin said: "It’s taken two years to get to this point and I’m genuinely both massively excited and terrified in equal measure.

"The faith our customers have put in us by waiting this long for it to actually happen has been amazing, and I can’t ever thank them enough for it.

"As much as I'm looking forward to the day, I'll definitely be glad to put the stress of it behind us though!"

He continued: "I know lots of people are referring to the day as a beer festival but it really isn’t, it’s our VERY belated first birthday bash.

"I can guarantee you that what they're getting is in no way a professional event but it definitely won’t be short of unprofessional enthusiasm!

"It’s a day that I’m learning a lot of lessons from as I have zero experience of putting events on, so if it goes well I’ll definitely figure things out better for the second one – if there’s any demand to do it again.

"To be fair, I had no idea about owning a shop either but I've managed to bluff my way through that for nearly three years now!"

Food will be on sale and entertainment provided by local live favourites The Cognac Twins, who will be performing from 6.30pm in the smaller hall.

Colin added: "All I’ve ever wanted it to be is a day where the community we’ve built through the shop could get together and have a fantastic time enjoying beer with some genuinely brilliant breweries, and I think that’s what it’ll be.

"For us, it’ll be extra special as we’ll have family there, and some of our friends who we’ve barely seen in the last two years from both faraway in the UK as well as Canada due to the pandemic.

"And of course, the customers, the people who make the business what it is."

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