Ancient Goddess brings female focus to popular beer festival

A specially produced statue of Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer and brewing from the civilization that invented beer, will lead a procession in the town centre to mark the start of this popular annual event that draws in beer and real ale lovers locally and from further afield.

Creating a more female friendly festival is the idea of Staffordshire Moorlands District  Councillor Bill Cawley, Cabinet Member for Communities.

Councillor Cawley said he first learnt about Ninkasi after reading a history of Babylon and the development of the city of Uruk, now in Iraq, part of Sumeria and one of the first civilisations 5000 years ago. The Sumerians had a female deity, a Goddess called Ninkasi, who is often depicted holding a tray on which sits a bowl. She is described in ancient literature as `a celestial barmaid` .

He said: "As Leek is already known as the Queen of the Moorlands, I think it is quite apt to celebrate Ninkasi at this year's event, especially as many of the pubs taking part in the festival are staffed by women or have women owners.

"As a Council we work hard to create town centres where women can feel safe and enjoy themselves. Festivals of this type should be welcoming to everyone with an interest in enjoying beer and real ale, and given this follows a tradition stretching all the way back to Ninkasi.

"We are also fortunate to have so many good pubs and architectural buildings in Leek. As a town built on textiles with links to the arts and crafts, it is fantastic we are gaining a deserved reputation for celebrating the craft of beer making."

The Ninkasi statue celebrating women in pubs has been made by local artist Chris Thompson. It will be the centrepiece of the procession, which starts at 12 noon on the Saturday, from The Fountain pub on Fountain Street, and ends at The Wilkes Head on Edward Street; taking in The Beer Cave, The Roebuck, The Cock, The Den Engels and The Brewcies, in between.

Ninkasi will be attached to poles and carried in the style of a Roman Catholic procession by representatives from the festival organisers.

Pubs participating in this year's event will be encouraged to decorate their premises with blue and purple balloons, with some expected to be offering special beers for the occasion.

In addition to the annual festival, Leek already has an established Real Ale Trail. This can be found on our Maps and Guides page; while a flyer promoting this year's festival has been produced and is available from Leek Tourist Information Centre.

Published 23 October 2024