What Are the Benefits of Joining CAMRA as a Member?

Updated

Joining CAMRA gives you free entry to CAMRA beer festivals and supports the campaign work behind real ale, cider, perry and the pubs that serve them. It is most likely to pay off if you attend CAMRA festivals regularly or want to use CAMRA's pub and beer resources while backing its campaigning. Membership is arranged through CAMRA's Join Us pages; the site does not publish prices there, so check the current plans before deciding.

The benefits CAMRA highlights

CAMRA's own site puts free festival entry front and centre: the homepage banner reads "Join CAMRA today for free festival entry." That is the clearest concrete benefit stated in the available material.

Beyond that, membership connects you to the organisation behind:

  • The Good Beer Guide — the 54th edition (2027) is promoted on the homepage, and CAMRA describes itself as championing the pubs that serve real ale.
  • Pub, beer and festival discovery — CAMRA's stated purpose includes helping people "find pubs, beers and beer festivals near you."
  • Campaigning for real ale, cider, perry and pubs — your membership supports that work, which is the reason the Campaign for Real Ale exists.

CAMRA also lists its own products on the site, separate from membership.

Is it worth it for you?

Use the same questions to test the value:

Question Join if… Think twice if…
How often will you attend CAMRA festivals? You go to one or more a year — free entry is the headline perk You rarely or never attend
Do you want the Good Beer Guide and pub-finding help? You actively use pub and beer guides when choosing where to drink You already have reliable local knowledge
Do you care about the campaign? Supporting real ale, cider, perry and pub campaigning matters to you You only want discounts

The decision hinges on festival frequency and how much you value the campaigning side. Because current prices and plan details are not shown in the material available here, compare the plans on the Join Us page against your expected festival attendance before committing.

How to join and what to check

  1. Go to CAMRA's Join Us page (camra.org.uk/plans).
  2. Compare the available plans — the site links to a member plan option.
  3. Confirm what your chosen plan includes, especially festival entry terms, before paying.

Expected result: you become a member and can use the free festival entry benefit the site advertises.

Common sticking point: the free festival entry claim is a headline benefit, but the specific terms (which festivals, how entry works) are not detailed in the material here — check them on the membership pages before assuming coverage for a particular event.