Details of Liverpool Loves Eurovision event announced

Liverpool Loves Eurovision - a series of free events - will take place on Saturday 11 May, transporting visitors to that incredible fortnight in May last year by paying homage to elements of 2023’s incredibly popular programme which helped attract around 500,000 people to the city centre.

The FREE events taking place on 11 May include:

• Between 1-7pm Beats on the Streets will take over Castle Street, Liverpool ONE and the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool when 30 pop-up music and dance performances by local artists will take over the locations throughout the day. Expect a soundtrack of Eurovision hits from across the years performed by some of the best local talent.

• The Bluecoat will mark the anniversary with Fly High – a beautiful art installation of blue and yellow butterfly lanterns created at family sessions. The butterflies represent how Liverpool shone under the global Eurovision spotlight and have been curated by artist Andrea Ku from B4 Biodiversity.

• As a stand-alone commission to mark the anniversary of Liverpool 2023, Welcome to Aquatopia will see the return of the blue and yellow submarine underwater disco - this time taking over the Pier Head. Curated by the Invisible Wind Factory, this is a family-friendly event with DJ sets, dance performances and sea puppetry on the Submarine Stage (located near the Ferry Terminal) and Crafty Fish workshops in Mann Island atrium, which will see families encouraged to create their very own fishy fashion accessory in order to join the roller-skating jellyfish and giant octopus in a special deep-sea disco. It will run from 2pm until 7pm and will include a whole host of collaborations with local communities and Ukrainian performers.

More events will be added to the line-up soon, including a reimagining of treasure-hunt spectacular Spot Sonia, but this time with some very well-known Eurovision legends…

For full details of what’s on, where and when, head to the Visit Liverpool website, or follow @VisitLiverpool on socials and use #LpoolLovesEurovision #LiverpoolLovesEurovision.

All of the activities will complement the Malmö on the Mersey Grand Final Screening at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 11 May.

Liverpool Loves Eurovision forms part of the Liverpool Loves campaign which aims to position Liverpool as the best place to attend an event in the UK. As well as Eurovision, Comic Con and Taylor Swift will also get the Liverpool Loves treatment in the coming months.

Liverpool’s Director of Culture, Claire McColgan CBE, said: “We would have major Eurovision FOMO if we didn’t do anything this year – it was an unforgettable moment in time for this city that we wanted to do elements of it all over again and party like it’s 2023!

“We want to position Liverpool as the UK’s Capital of Eurovision and ensure there is a real legacy to our Eurovision experience. For those fans not traveling to Malmö, we want to encourage them to return to Liverpool and spend time here and enjoy the work of some of our brilliant artists and creatives.

“With a wide range of events, there is something for everyone – so get planning on how you will be United By Music on Saturday 11 May.”

Aquatopia’s Sam Crombie said: "Last year’s Blue and Yellow Submarine Parade was a joyous experience and we can’t wait to celebrate again on the Pier Head with all our fishy friends in a magical deep-sea party.

“Everyone is invited to come and be immersed in our Aquatopia Kingdom for a day of crafts, dancing, creativity and unity. With the iconic backdrop of the River Mersey we couldn’t think of a better setting to bring everyone together." First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.