Liverpool culture chiefs reveal the programme for the city’s free summer On The Waterfront festival

Jun 10 2009 by Catherine Jones, Heswall News

THE Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, a sound and light show, and a giant cinema screen showing film classics will entertain crowds on the banks of the Mersey this summer.

The On The Waterfront festival will run over three weekends in July, August and September with themes of music, art and film.

City culture chiefs have pledged the Pier Head and Albert Dock would become Britain’s greatest free outdoor cultural venue over the summer months.

They have joined forces with creative producers Walk The Plank and organisations including National Museums Liverpool, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic (RLPO), Tate, FACT and Liverpool Lantern Company to put on the extravaganza.

Cllr Gary Millar, the city’s executive member for culture and tourism, said: “Liverpool’s waterfront is one of the greatest in the world and deserves to be the home of a world-class festival.

“On The Waterfront has all the hallmarks of what was best about best of Capital of Culture – free, ambitious and appealing to everyone. The city has a fantastic reputation for delivering free events with a wow factor and it’s critical to our future as a major tourism destination that we continue to do so.”

Music on the Waterfront will take place over the weekend of July 31 to August 2 with the Liverpool Phil joining the city’s best pub singers to repeat the success of 2008’s Rightful Owners of the Song event.

There will also be world music at the World Heritage Site, and a Sunday of jazz and blues.

Art on the Waterfront, from August 14-16, includes a night of lanterns, coloured fire, lighting effect and projections inspired by the Tate’s Colour Chart exhibition, and a family-friendly programme of interactive theatre performances and hands-on activities. Cinema classics with connections to the waterfront location, will be beamed on to a giant screen from September 25-27.