Wirral music stars OMD and the Coral - along with fellow Merseyside legends, Echo and the Bunnymen - will headline an even bigger weekend of food, drink and music in Birkenhead Park later this year.
The biggest food and music event in Wirral will return for a second year following an amazing September to Remember in 2019.
The two-day, free-to-enter, food and drink festival on September 5 and 6 in Birkenhead Park will welcome families, foodies, first-time visitors and friends to enjoy the best of Wirral’s produce and delicatessen.
The popular evening concerts will be ticketed and ramped up with an extra night.
Friday September 4 will see The Coral combine James Skelly’s powerful vocals with their knack for crafting chart-topping singles. On Saturday September 5, one of Merseyside’s most famous bands, Echo & the Bunnymen, will weave their dark, swirling fusion, driven by the majestic voice of Ian McCulloch and the brilliant guitar work of Will Sergeant.
The weekend will be topped off by a rare performance on Sunday September 6 by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), back in their original Wirral stomping ground after touring the globe.
Over the past four decades, OMD have sold an astonishing 25 million singles and 15 million albums. This will be their first ever full four-piece band concert in Wirral, and they will celebrate with all their hits. The band will be supported by pioneers of the Eighties art-indie scene Pete Wylie & The Mighty WAH!
Ticket offers include a VIP upgrade to The Art School VIP bar (a private ticketed enclosure with arrival drink, higher spec WCs, viewing area and food sales). Tickets are available from visitwirral.com. Tickets can also be purchased ‘on the door’ for an additional fee at Birkenhead Park, sold on a first come, first served basis. To guarantee tickets, advance booking is strongly recommended.
Cllr Christine Spriggs, Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism said: "I am absolutely thrilled to welcome the return of the Wirral Food, Drink and Music Festival to historic Birkenhead Park again this year. It is, quite simply, one of the key events of 2020, and an important legacy of our year as Borough of Culture.
"In 2019, the attendance figures spoke for themselves and we knew we had to bring the Festival back. We have worked hard to make it even bigger and better. This event is great for residents, visitors and the local economy. It has already become such an important date in Wirral’s Cultural calendar - part of our growing reputation as a place where exciting creative things happen with its own vibrant home-grown talented creative community. We’re grateful to all our partners for making it possible."
The daytime festival offer is no less enticing than the evenings. During two days of food-focused free entertainment, Wirral resident and Ambassador Paul Askew, Chef Patron of The Art School restaurant, will lead a strong line-up of chefs at the festival.
Paul said: "Beautiful Birkenhead Park plus food, plus music: what’s not to love? I’m thrilled to again be part of this Festival which brings together the best suppliers and food professionals that Wirral has to offer. We can promise a fun day for the family and lots of inspiring ideas; and to top it all there’s a phenomenal line-up of bands. It’s this combination which makes the Festival unique, and I’m looking forward to seeing you there!"
Paul will be joined by well-known chefs, providing professional tips and cooking up a storm, using fantastic produce available on the peninsula. Chefs will also link up with schools to run children’s cookery courses during the daytime.
Foodie favourites already confirmed in the popular Food Heroes Tent include The Art of Wine, Estrella Bar/Tappers Gin, Wards Fish, K&N Fresh Vegetables and Fruit, Wirral Watercress, Edge and Sons butchers.
With even more space available for traders, organisers expect this year’s festival to attract even more visitors than the 30,000 people who attended in 2019. Visitors can expect an outstanding range of street food, coffee vendors, artisan breweries and a wealth of inspiring ideas for cooking, eating and drinking – all from our home soil.
The family-friendly offer will include a funfair and activities for all ages, run by Birkenhead Park’s popular forest school team.
Entry to the event and chef demos is free. Ticket information for the evening concerts can be found via visitwirral.com
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