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Post by Kev on Apr 23, 2004 11:35:58 GMT -5
Organisers of Liverpool’s 24th Mersey River Festival are confident June 2004 will break attendance records in the countdown to the city’s Capital of Culture celebrations.
With more than 150 vessels set to take part, and 100+ events scheduled, the four-day jamboree is expected to bring more than a quarter of a million visitors to Merseyside from June 18th.
The 2003 event proved so successful that extra ‘spill over’ berths have been booked in Birkenhead for the first time with the Tall Ships again the star attraction as council chiefs prepare for 2008.
Liverpool’s Leisure and Culture spokesman, Warren Bradley, says “This is one of the highlights of the city’s calendar.
"For four fantastic days,” he adds, “the Mersey is brought vividly to life and makes the city a fabulously fun place to be.”
One of the key attractions in 2004 - with vessels again filling Albert, Canning and Salthouse Docks from June 18-21 - will be the steam tug Challenge, famous for its key role in the rescue of more than 300,000 servicemen at Dunkirk in the Second World War.
This year’s river party again welcomes Tall Ships’ favourite Grand Turk with a range of newcomers like the 60-metre square-rigged Russian training boat – Mir; and the trading vessel, Glaciere of Liverpool, which was stuck at the bottom of the Mersey until last October.
The summer spectacular will also feature international canoe polo; free sailing, windsurfing and canoeing lessons; and displays from the Royal Marines on top of a range of street entertainment and craft displays.
“The festival is one of Liverpool’s great success stories,” says Bradley. “It is hugely popular throughout the UK and internationally. It is a fantastic advert – both for our unrivalled maritime legacy and the new Liverpool with all the major changes going on in the city.”
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Post by Kev on May 10, 2004 10:07:38 GMT -5
BRITAIN'S last working merchant trading ketch is to become the first tall ship to be turned into a floating hotel for this year's Mersey River Festival. Overnight guests on board the Bessie Ellen will be treated to a nightcap - or three - under the stars before bed in one of the ship's 12 berths, surrounded by scores of historic vessels in the Albert Dock. Click here to find out more! |
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Post by Kev on Jun 15, 2004 6:45:08 GMT -5
A TUGBOAT which helped rescue British soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk is to have a starring role in this year's Mersey River Festival.
Challenge, one of the armada of 'little ships' which picked up stranded servicemen in 1940, has been put back into operation after years of painstaking restoration.
Its decaying hull was moored in St Katherine's Dock, near Tower Bridge in London, for 19 years.
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Post by FKoEunlogged on Jun 15, 2004 14:07:05 GMT -5
BRITAIN'S last working merchant trading ketch is to become the first tall ship to be turned into a floating hotel for this year's Mersey River Festival. Overnight guests on board the Bessie Ellen will be treated to a nightcap - or three - under the stars before bed in one of the ship's 12 berths, surrounded by scores of historic vessels in the Albert Dock. Click here to find out more!And for all those descendants whose ancestors sailed in her................. tough! A floatin' 'otel........ My arse.............. Liverpool give something back to the people, otherwise I'm never comin home, 'cept for the footie and der family. |
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Post by Kev on Jun 21, 2004 5:20:27 GMT -5
THE Mersey River Festival proved another great success with an estimated quarter of a million people visiting over three days.
Despite bad weather on Sunday morning, the rain cleared and visitors came out in their droves yesterday afternoon.
Judith Feather, city council organiser of the three-day extravaganza, was pleased with the turnout and how many compliments the festival received.
She said: "We've had a fantastic array of events, the ships and boats undoubtedly the stars of the show. "Alongside the shanty festival and the Royal Marine band, everyone's done us proud.
"People in Merseyside have a great respect for the water, and that shows at times like these, especially when you read the comments that people wrote on one of the pieces of artwork that was being created, it was enough to make you weep."
Ship tours proved popular with families excitedly queuing to get on board and take a look around warships and pirate ships alike.
Shanty singers, naval and African bands added to the atmosphere as thousands flocked to the waterfront.
An air show with Lancaster bombers, a Swordfish, Sea Hawk and a Sea Fury took the crowd's breath away, with the planes coming so close children were reaching up as if to touch them.
The aerial displays included fly-pasts with two planes heading straight for each other along the River Mersey, pulling up at the last second to gasps from the crowd.
Ms Feather said: "The festival is growing and is going to be bigger than ever next year.
"We can't help the weather which was a bit disappointing on Sunday morning but when it cleared up it was as if people were coming at us from over the hills."
Visitors were not just coming from Merseyside to enjoy the fun but from much further afield.
Deborah and Andrew McCoskery, from Burnley, said: "We came especially for the festival and although we've never been before, we would definitely come again.
"It was an hour's drive but it has been worth it."
The events began on Friday after barges and ships had been moored, with knot demonstrations, RNLI exhibitions, search and rescue displays over the river and guided tours about the slave trade.
Street entertainment continued throughout the weekend and every corner of the riverside, on both sides of the water, had musical delights from all over the world.
A launch service at St Nicholas' Parish Church nearby welcomed ships and a marriage of the land to the sea was also celebrated.
The Royal Mersey Yacht Club held a regatta and the West Cheshire Sailing Club an eight-hour dinghy race.
Shanty singers in full voice
MUSICIANS were out in force this weekend to celebrate the Mersey International Shanty festival as part of the river celebrations.
Performances continue today in Albert Dock, near the Maritime Museum and on board Mersey ferries.
Groups have come from as far as America. Ken Bond and Dave Robinson journeyed from Swansea to perform aboard the frigate Grand Turk.
Mr Robinson, 69, said: "The river festival has been excellent, despite the weather, which could have been better."
Year of the Sea will be even bigger and better
NEXT year's Mersey River Festival will be even bigger and better, organisers have pledged, as Liverpool builds up to its European Capital of Culture year in 2008 with a special themed Year of the Sea.
Organiser Judith Feathers said: "This year has been very successful but we are holding something in reserve for next year.
"It will be the 25th anniversary of the Mersey River Festival and it will also be Liverpool's Year of the Sea and added to that we will be taking part in the national celebration Sea Britain.
"All of which will make it a very special time for Liverpool.
"Word is spreading throughout the world in the maritime scene about how Liverpool is the place to be, especially in June 2005 with the festival and in August for the Clipper race.
"The plans are top secret so we can't tell anyone, that would be giving the game away, you will just have to wait and see."
SOURCE-Liverpool Echo
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