Organisers of the 2013 Ilkley Beer Festival are hopeful of beating last year’s £35,000 fundraising total as they prepare to put tickets on sale.

Around 1,500 tickets for the festival, in February, will go on sale at the Winter Garden, Station Road, Ilkley, at 10am on Saturday and are expected to sell out quickly.

Last year, tickets sold out within 45 minutes.

Organiser Ilkley and District Round Table this year opted to open ticket sales on a Saturday to give as many as possible a chance of a ticket for the festival, on February 8 and 9.

Beer festival chairman Richard Sherington said: “We were somewhat overwhelmed by the response last year.”

Mr Sherington has hopes the total sum raised will add up to a new record. Last year’s total was £35,000.

Some mail-order ticket sales have already taken place, with people from as far off as the South West.

Mr Sherington added: “We raised just over £35,000 last year, we’re obviously hoping to beat that.”

Tickets cost £5. Buyers must be over 18 and pay in cash. The price includes entry, a programme and glass. There is a limit of four tickets per person.

Ticket sales start at 10am and run to noon or until tickets sell out.