Tickets for the opening and closing parties at the City of Ale festival are now on sale, and organisers are also holding a competition to win five pairs of tickets to the launch party.

The third City of Ale festival in Norwich runs from May 23 to June 2, and again celebrates all that is good about local pubs serving local beers made from local ingredients.

The previous two events have helped establish Norwich as the UK's City of Ale, and this year's event follows the hugely successful Camra national AGM in the city on April 20. The festival also fits in with the Evening News' Love Your Local campaign, which aims to get people back inside pubs.

Co-chairman of the 2013 City of Ale event, Dawn Leeder said: 'The competition asks people to complete this sentence – Norwich is the UK City of Ale because...

'We're giving away five pairs of tickets to the launch party on Thursday, May 23 for the five most convincing and concise responses.'

Meanwhile, the winner of a beer-naming competition set up to support the Norwich and District Branch of the Normandy veterans' return to France to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in June next year, has been announced. The branch needs to raise £20,000 to fund the trip. Norfolk's Wolf Brewery is producing a special cask ale and the winning name, 'Monty's Gamble' was suggested by Andy Malcolm, from Norwich, who wins two tickets to the launch party and an 18-pint demi-pin of the ale.

The City of Ale official launch party at St Gregory's Church starts at 6pm on May 23 and ends at 11pm. The closing party on June 1 is at the same venue starting at 7.30pm and ending at 11pm.

Ticket only – £5 to include two free pints of beer, food and entertainment – available at The Murderers, The Rose Inn, Ketts Tavern and online through Skiddle

To see more stories from The Love your Local campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/loveyourlocal

To enter email competition@cityofale.org.uk stating 'Norwich is the UK City of Ale because...' The best ones will be published in the City Of Ale newsletter, website and in the programme. The competition closes Friday, May 3.