The Bank Holiday weekend doesn’t have to mean enduring hours sitting in traffic jams. There are plenty of events to keep everyone entertained right on your doorstep.

The dominant theme of the weekend will be two annual festivals of international renown. Celebrating its 18th year, the Matthew Street Festival will showcase a wide variety of live acts over the course of the Sunday and Monday. Seven themed outdoor stages will swell the city centre with music lovers, with acts from around the world marking Liverpool’s global music heritage. New themes for this year will include a 25th anniversary tribute to the Live Aid acts and a ‘ModFest’ stage on the Monday, while the original bands stage in Williamson Square will provide a platform for local acts including Ragz and the excellent Strawhouses. There will of course be a strong Beatles element to the festival, with the band’s entire back catalogue performed live for the first time on the Bank Holiday Monday.
The festival forms part of the wider International Beatle Week celebrations, with an array of events taking place. The Liverpool Philharmonic plays host to The Bootleg Beatles on the Saturday, while Liverpool actor Mark McGann takes on the guise of John Lennon the following evening in “John Lennon: In My Life”. The Anglican Cathedral, where Paul McCartney once failed an audition as a choirboy, will be the venue for the Beatles-themed Peace, Love and Understanding concert, while over 30 bands are likely to prove a key attraction at the Adelphi Hotel, together with exhibitions and a memorabilia market, for the Beatles Convention. The Astrid Kirchherr photography exhibition at the Victoria Gallery & Museum provides one of the most intriguing attractions among the composition of Beatles’ events. The retrospective from Stuart Sutcliffe’s former partner provides an insight into The Beatles’ legendary trip to Hamburg, together with images of Astrid’s home and family.
A little further afield, the Creamfields festival will draw thousands of revellers to the Daresbury Estate. A line-up featuring David Guetta, DeadMau5, Tiësto, Calvin Harris and Your Move Talent in the City profile Paul van Dyk will ensure the region will be the premier music destination over the Bank Holiday.
It isn’t just the large music festivals offering the entertainment over the Bank Holiday, however. The weekend is the final chance to take in Stephanie De Leng’s Body Landscapes exhibition at Blackburne House, a ‘warts and all’ look at the human form in opposition to the ‘body beautiful’ images often portrayed in the media. Other local art displays include the continuation of the ‘Dürer and Italy’ exhibition at the Lady Lever Gallery in Port Sunlight. Masterpiece prints by Dürer, one of the great Renaissance artists, are featured in the magnificent gallery, highlighting the influence of his work.
Remaining over the water, the Hoylake RNLI festival takes place on the Bank Holiday Monday at the town’s promenade, boasting air displays from the Yakov Levs and the Spitfires to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. A funfair, charity stalls, street theatre, raffles, and tours of the Lifeboat will ensure the event is a favourite with families. The Wirral Food and Drink Festival takes place at Claremont Farm near Bebington over the Sunday and Monday and will feature live chef demonstrations and over 100 producers and stalls. The kids will have the chance to try their hand at cooking and are also likely to be drawn to the ‘Big Top’ village.
Another family favourite is currently in full swing at the Liverpool Empire. One of the most successful musical comedies from the West End, Hairspray stars Michael Starke and Liverpool favourite Les Dennis, rounding up an assortment of attractions likely to tempt many to stay close to home over the Bank Holiday weekend.