What is that big red ball of fire in the sky? I think our ancestors used to call it “the sun”. And although the people of Liverpool don’t buy it, they sure as hell have fun in it.
It feels like we spend all our time wishing the sun would come out, declaring how great it’d be to live abroad but as soon as the sun arrives we spend our days indoors using the words ‘clammy’ and ‘sweltering’. We’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen. The summer is a wonderful time of year – 99’ers, kickabouts at the park and alcohol in the sun. Bliss. Liverpool isn’t short of things to do and this summer promises to be brilliant. We will be updating this article throughout the summer to let you know the best things to do, see and experience so keep checking back to make this summer the best one yet.
Come To Our Party
Sunset scenes and bliss vibes throughout the summer period – starting with Saturday 23rd May. Bring your dancing sandals (and the sunshine). There will be street food, face painters and lots of alcohol. We cannot beheld responsible for any horrific hangovers. Grab your tickets here (there’s a special discount for cardholders).
Celebrate 10 Years of Iron Men
The Iron Men sculptures on Crosby Beach by Anthony Gormley are known as ‘Another Place’ and are a huge tourist attraction. It consists of 100 cast iron sculptures looking out towards the sea in silent expectation. They’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary in June and we implore you to head down and check them out. Luckily enough they’re already in their birthday suits. More info here.
Witness History
Cunard’s Three Queens – the Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 – visit Liverpool between May 24-26th 2015 for the 175th anniversary of the famous cruise line. Expect a fantastic water ballet by the iconic cruise ships as part of the 175 years celebrations. There’ll be a great atmosphere with thousands and thousands there witnessing history. More info here.
Cruise Ships & Cocktails
Oh Me Oh My, the secret space on Water Street, is a beautiful and grand building that you can only talk about when whispering. Yeah, it is that secret. They’re doing a special cruise ship and cocktails day to celebrate the arrival of the ships and we’ve got a secret discount code for their cocktail event taking place all day. Find out what it is here.
Jam At Africa Oyé
Africa Oyé, the UK’s largest free celebration of African music and culture takes place annually in Liverpool on the 20th and 21st of June. Beginning in 1992 as a series of small gigs in the city centre, the event has gone from strength to strength, moving to its present Sefton Park home in 2002 to cope with demand. Inspired by the negative connotations associated with Africa, this event aims to highlight the culture, heritage, music and of course, the food. A must-do on the Liverpool calendar. Bring on the jerk chicken and tunes. More info here.
Sing Along At LIMF
Liverpool International Music Festival is like a victory lap of Sefton Park for Liverpool’s electrifying music scene. A quite literal platform to display how gifted we are as a whole with a bit of crowd-surfing thrown in for good measure. With 150 different acts from 20 different countries, Liverpool is going to be the mecca of music from the 27-31st of August and it is not to be missed as LIMF doesn’t just help you discover the new, it inspires the next. The Beatles weren’t the only ones to strum a guitar y’know. More info here.
Drink Beer At A Craft Beer Expo
On the 18th-21st June there’s a place where ale appreciators, cider connoisseurs and lager lovers can revel in delight. Is there a better invention than beer? Yeah, the wheel was good but it doesn’t go half as well with pizza. Expect over 250 drinks to sample in one of Liverpool’s best beer gardens. Get your tickets here.
Dance At Sound City
An unrivalled 3-day festival of incredible live music and arts, capturing the city of Liverpool and reinforcing it as the cultural core of the UK. Taking place on the May bank holiday weekend, people can expect to see The Cribs, Flaming Lips, The Vaccines, Belle and Sebastian, All We Are, Bill Ryder-Jones and so many more. Expect glasses, spirits and the occasional roof to be raised. Tickets and lineup here.
Go To A Gin Festival
World Gin Day comes but once a year and Liverpool Gin are inviting you to make sure you celebrate it right. On 13th June they’re hosting their own gin festival at the stunning St. George’s Hall. They’re also premiering two new flavours of their gin. Need we say anymore? Change your watch to gin o’clock and get tickets here.
Visit A Beer Garden
As soon as a certain centigrade is hit, Liverpudlians flock in their thousands for the nearest garden with a pump full of beer. Liverpool isn’t short of interesting places to partake in these kind of activities and the sun illuminating the spaces we forget about for the remainder of the year is special. Check out our guide to Liverpool’s secret beer gardens here.
Find Out What Liverpool Loves
We all love Liverpool but what does Liverpool love? A festival on the 6th-8th of August on the Pier Head aims to find out. The aim is to showcase the best of the city under the four core themes of: Business, Wellbeing, Culture and Food. It has already been dubbed the “People’s festival” and it promises to be an awesome annual event. Expect morning raves, Irish themed parties and just about everything in between. More info here.
Lose A Day At A Gin Garden
Liverpool’s gin garden bloomed recently and they’re shaking up gin cocktails in their secret urban wonderland in the Baltic Triangle. Gin, summer and plants make it the quintessential British garden but believe us, it is not what you expect. It is only open until September so make sure you check it out before it is too late and the plants drink all the gin. Head to New Bird Street in the Baltic Triangle and look for a sign that says “Gin Lane”.
Drink Cocktails At Baltic Garden Festival
Hosted by Hot Plate and Dot, they’ll be kicking off the summer with a collaboration between some of Liverpool’s most creative and adventurous club nights on June 6th. They’ll be making the most of Constellations stunning outside area as they play host to an intimate daytime festival with a sublime blend of live and electronic music, art, street food and cocktails. More info here.
Zipwire Across Liverpool
The Liverpool Wire sets to return from the 18th July to 13th of September due to the amazing response it had last year. Thousands of people saw the city in unique fashion as they zipwired from Church Street to Lord Street. If you fancy getting your adrenaline pumping and taking the world’s maddest selfie, get yourself down. More info here.
Eat Too Much at Liverpool Food & Drink Festival
Every foodie has this weekend marked down in their calendar. The best of Liverpool’s effervescent food and drink scene congregate in Sefton Park for a weekend of food, drink and more food and drink. On the 19th and 20th September the park will be turned into “foodie heaven” for the 8th year running and you just can’t miss it. Hopefully this year they’ll have a mattress area you can nap off all that food. More info here.
Celebrate International Beatles Week
Now I know we all take the Beatles for granted but this mini-festival is actually quite unique. It was what evolved into Matthew Street festival and what then evolved again into Liverpool International Music Festival. It was Liverpool’s prototype of a homegrown music festival. You can expect auctions, music and expert speakers from all over the world coming to Liverpool from 26th August to 1st September. Beatles mania. More info here.
Run A Rock & Roll Marathon
Ready. Set. Rock. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool Marathon & 1/2 returns on the 14th of June. There’s more to love in 2015 – New Saturday 5K, New 1 Mile Fun Run, New Running & Endurance Show. There are scenic routes, historic routes and more importantly, lots of fun that’ll hopefully raise money for great causes. The summer isn’t all feet up and beer gardens you know. Sign up here.
Celebrate Transatlantic 175
Transatlantic 175 is an exploration and unique celebration of cultural history and contemporary exchange representing the eras of the past 175 years on the 4th and 5th of July. The city will become a creative culture clash between the home-grown music, fashion, art, design, food and film of the 19th, 20th and 21st century. Coinciding with America’s celebration of independence, expect influences from the Mersey to Manhattan. More info here.
Shake Your Tail Feather at Brazilica
Brazilica is the UK’s only Brazilian festival and Samba Carnival taking place annually in the heart of the Liverpool city centre. Expect vibrant colours, dresses as loud as the drums and some awful dancing that should never be repeated by ourselves. The festival will be taking place from 17th to the 19th of July. More info here.
Strut Down A Record Breaking Cat walk
Liverpool is a city intrinsically linked with fashion and, on Saturday 4 July, those fashion credentials will be on display and put to the test. Just over 5,000 fashionistas attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records for the largest cat walk the world has ever seen. From dance troops to twins, from pensioners to bridal parties and from couture to camp, get involved with the carnival fun. More info here.
If that’s not enough to enjoy summer in Liverpool then make sure you get your hands on the Independent Liverpool Membership Card. Just £15 for a year or £20 for two for a year of discounted discovery at Liverpool’s best independents to eat, drink and shop. Save money, discover Liverpool and support local. Get yours here.