A brewery's horse and dray will parade through Norwich before the Lord Mayor starts this year's City of Ale festivities.

Details of this year's launch event can now be revealed, with an afternoon of fun planned to launch the 10-day beer showcase which this year includes 46 pubs and ale from 36 breweries.

Lord Mayor Marion Maxwell will be collected from City Hall and taken to the launch by Woodforde's horse and dray, and Golden Star Morris dancers will be performing to welcome them into the garden of the Cathedral of St John the Baptist.

The launch event itself will

take place at the Narthex, next

to the cathedral, on Thursday, May 26. Crisp Malting Group, which produces the malt that goes into beer and is based at Great Ryburgh near Fakenham, and Norwich's Bullards Brewery are sponsoring the launch event.

Russell Evans, of Bullards Brewery, said: 'It's going to be great fun helping to kick off a massive 10-day beer celebration across our fantastic city – with its quality breweries, pubs and beers.'

Dawn Leeder, co-chairman of City of Ale, said: 'We're really very grateful that we have such prominent sponsors, so directly connected to the brewing trade and the local business community. It's going to be a truly memorable launch party.'

Tickets for the launch event go on sale this week, priced at £6.47 online or £7 on the door. This includes admission, a pint of beer and a souvenir pint glass. All pints are £3 thereafter.

All ale lovers are invited to join City of Ale organisers,

brewers, publicans, beer writers, sponsors and Campaign for Real Ale members for a big celebration of fine local ales.

Norwich City of Ale runs from May 26 to June 5, with more than 250 different ales on offer.

For tickets see www.eventbrite.co.uk/ and for details see

www.cityofale.org.uk