The popular City of Ale festival is to return to Norwich for a third year, with a bigger and better event promised by organisers.

The festival of beer, from May 23 to June 2, will again celebrate all that is good about local pubs serving local beers made from local ingredients. And it will hope to build on the success of the previous two events, which have helped establish Norwich as the UK's City of Ale.

Last year's event ran for 10 days from May 31 to June 10, with 35 breweries and 45 pubs taking part. The number of pubs signed up represents a 45pc increase on the number which took part last year.

Dawn Leeder and Phil Cutter, co-chairmen of Norwich City of Ale, said: 'We're gearing up for what promises to be a great year for ale in the fine city with the Camra members' weekend in April closely followed by City of Ale 2013 in May/June.

'This year City of Ale is 'going green in 2013' with an appropriately bottle-green logo. We'll be extolling the virtues of local pubs, local breweries and local ingredients.'

Last year, there were 240 beers on offer and 192 events were held, including a number of heritage events such as guided walks and talks.

Publicans and brewers can find out more about the 2013 event by attending the first City of Ale open meeting on Monday, January 21 at 10am at the Murderers in Timberhill.

Organisers will be discussing subscriptions, rates and deadlines; sponsorship and promotional materials plus any other business.

City of Ale 2012 began last January with a beer writers' weekend designed to generate advance publicity.

Six beer writers were invited to a reception at the Forum, where they were welcomed by the sheriff and a party of publicans, brewers and beer lovers.

They were billeted free of charge in various hotels and guesthouses arranged by VisitNorwich, and 22 pubs were visited over the weekend. Norwich City of Ale is a not-for-profit organisation with the mission to promote Norwich, nationally and internationally, as the UK City of Ale.

The City of Ale fits in with the Evening News Love Your Local campaign which aims to get people back into pubs and supporting local breweries.

Visit www.eveningnews24. co.uk/loveyourlocal

Publicans and brewers who wish to find out more about the City Of Ale can email info@cityofale.org.uk