2008 Highlights

							Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008

Annual events



This list contains events which are already established on Liverpool’s cultural calendar. The majority of these events will have a special 2008 flavour, and
further announcements will be made in due course.




THROUGHOUT THE YEAR                           MilapFest                            Year-round South Asian arts festival. www.milapfest.com
                                              City wide



MARCH                                         Wimfest                              Liverpool’s Women’s International Music Festival, an exciting showcase of
                                              Philharmonic Hall and various        women’s musical talent.
                                              venues



APRIL                                         Grand National                       The world’s most famous steeplechase. Plans for 2008 include a spectacular
                                              Aintree                              tribute to the world of fashion.



MAY                                           Writing on the Wall Festival         An annual literature festival that celebrates writing, diversity, tolerance, story
                                              City wide                            telling and humour through controversy, inquiry and debate.




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       Poetry in the City
       Venues across the city



JUNE   Africa Oye                       Free annual festival celebrating the very best of the music of Africa, the
       Sefton Park                      Caribbean and the Americas, including collaborations with Liverpool’s African
                                        community. www.africaoye.com



       Liverpool International          (14/06/08 to 19/06/08) Dubbed the Wimbledon of the North, the annual
       Tennis Tournament                Calderstones Park tournament is the largest exhibition event in Europe.
       Calderstones Park



       The Open Golf Championship       (17/07/08 to 20/07/08)The world’s top players flock to Merseyside for the
       Royal Birkdale                   second time in three years for the Open Golf Championship.



       Splatterfest                     Festival of theatre for children.
       Unity Theatre



JULY   Summer Pops                      Since 2001 the Summer Pops has been a key feature of the European
                                        summer music calendar, playing host to some of the greatest names in
                                        music, including Elton John, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.




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            Liverpool Comedy Festival



            HUB                                 The UK’s biggest free urban culture festival; bringing music, street art and
            Otterspool Promenade                extreme sports to a unique river-side park.


            Brouhaha International Street       (July & August) Brings together more than 20 arts, music and dance
            Festival                            companies from around the world, climaxing in a carnival parade through the
            City wide                           city’s streets.


AUGUST      Mathew Street Music Festival        (22/08/08 to 25/08/08) Legendary August Bank Holiday music festival, which
            City centre                         annually attracts more than 350,000 revellers to multiple music stages
                                                across Liverpool city centre.



            Creamfields                         Much-loved outdoor dance festival.
            Halton



SEPTEMBER   Honda F4 Powerboat                  The UK’s fastest offshore powerboat championships.
            Liverpool Grand Prix
            Waterfront



            Hope Street Festival                Music, film, dance, theatre, poetry, talks and tours, plus a Farmers’ Market
            Hope Street                         and food and wine at venues and local restaurants showcase the vibrancy
                                                and creativity around the City’s designated ‘cultural quarter’.




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           Fiesta Latina                       A week of Latino music and dance.
           City wide




           Finale of the Tour of Britain       (30/09/08) Britain’s leading professional cycling race reaches a nail-biting
                                               climax in Liverpool city centre. This will be the first time the tour has finished
                                               outside of London. www.tourofbritain.co.uk.




OCTOBER    Liverpool Irish Festival            Celebration of Irish culture.
           Various Liverpool venues



           Black History Month
           Various Liverpool venues



           Halloween Lantern Carnival          Spell-binding procession of unique, beautifully crafted hand-held lanterns
           Sefton Park                         through one of Liverpool’s most beautiful parks.



NOVEMBER   Dadafest                            The largest celebration of disability and deaf art in the north west, bringing
           Various north west venues           together internationally acclaimed artists and home-grown talent.




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Homotopia                      Gay, lesbian and transgender festival presenting theatre, dance, music,
Various Liverpool venues       cabaret, club nights, art, film and talkfests.



Liverpool Music Week           The best of up-and-coming, signed and unsigned bands perform in venues
City centre venues             across the city centre.




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