Liverpool, famous for being the most successful European City of Culture, is hosting its first Liverpool Boat Show in 2011 from April 29th to May 8th. The show will be staged in the historic Albert Dock right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and promises to be one of the most spectacular events of its kind in Europe. Attracting the attention of 400,000 visitors the show will be unlike any other, inspiring a massive marine festival minutes walk from the heart of Liverpool.
The city has been carefully selected as the ultimate geographic location for water sports enthusiasts to congregate in a nautical celebration. And now visitors can also join in celebrations of what festival bosses are billing their “decade of laughter.” Organisers of the Liverpool Comedy Festival have moved the dates of their event to coincide with the Boat Show. James Gower, Director of Marine Industry Events Ltd, commented, “The whole North West region has rallied behind the new Boat Show and created the momentum for something rather special.” Nautical-themed comedy shows with ‘Eric’s Tales of the Sea’ and Tim Fitzhigham’s latest show are already booked in and on sale. As well as the best big shows there will be a huge number of very funny people appearing at venues all over the city including the Boat Show itself. It is also hoped there will be performances on the Mersey Ferry (Ferry Funny) and the Duck Tour (Duck Up Stand Up).
Liverpool Comedy Festival has unveiled the line-up which will help it mark its 10th anniversary. Dylan Moran, star of ‘Black Books’, ‘Shaun of the Dead’ and ‘Run Fat Boy Run’, will headline the celebrations. The Irish funnyman will perform his show for two nights of the festival. Other top comedy names secured for the 11-day festival include We Are Klang and Inbetweeners’ star Greg Davies, Mock The Week regular Andy Parsons, Russell Kane, Arthur Smith, Jon Richardson and Milton Jones.
Gillian Miller, chair of the Comedy Trust, which organises the Liverpool Comedy Festival, said, “Liverpool has so much to offer visitors and by moving our dates to coincide with the Boat Show we are ensuring that the national and international audience the show will attract will be able to enjoy some of the very best comedy around.”
The Liverpool Boat Show is being delivered by Marine Industry Events Ltd in partnership with Liverpool City Council, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Liverpool Vision, British Waterways, Albert Dock Liverpool, the Mersey Partnership and the new Liverpool Waterfront Partnership.
Rob MacKenzie, Managing Director of Marine Industry Events, said, “Liverpool has undergone a transformation in recent years and is now attracting top calibre entertainers. Having the Liverpool Comedy Festival running at the same time as the Boat Show will ensure our visitors have a truly memorable visit to the city.”
Those inspired to take the trip to Liverpool are guaranteed to enjoy a mixed experience of nautical novelties and cultural uplift through a live atmosphere. Tickets start from just £12 booking online through www.liverpoolboatshow.com with pre-book customers receiving an exclusive Liverpool ONE discount card. For boating families there are plenty of interactive opportunities with ‘have-a-go’ experiences, practical workshops and demonstrations as well as open access to feature boats and land-based exhibitors including the largest names of the power and sail boat world.