W
L
OMD RETURN TO THE WIRRAL FOR THE
FOOD, DRINK & MUSIC FESTIVAL
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 5th and 6th September 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 ramped up with an extra night,
with three ticketed events which will be headlined by Merseyside stars
OMD, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Coral.
Friday 4th September will see The Coral combine James Skelly’s powerful
vocals with their knack for crafting chart-topping singles. On Saturday
5th September, 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 6th
September by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, 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
28 wirrallife.com
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. Wirral Food,
Drink and Music Festival will see local food and drink traders take over
Birkenhead Park on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September. Entry to
the event and chef demos is free.
Ticket information for the evening concerts on Friday 4th, Saturday 5th
and Sunday 6th September can be found via visitwirral.com.