2008 Events – August Listing

Date

Event

Venue

Ten days of events and activities which encourage young people and their parents to use their imagination and creativity. Highlights include the four events listed below, and the ‘Imaginary Festival’ delivered by Liverpool Children’s Festival on Friday, August 8.

Commissioned by the Liverpool Culture Company for European Capital of Culture 2008. Walk the Plank and Kinetika join forces with Brouhaha and local performers to present a beautiful firework folk story as part of the Carnival Weekend, and the opening of ‘Imagine’.

As a giant Tiger paces through the park, fire illuminates costumed carnival dancers and drummers, and firework effects light up the forest. The greedy Emperor wants his taxes, and the people must pay. An original soundtrack and magical special effects animate this colourful tale of the Emperor, the Wise Man, and the Guardian of the Jungle – before the firework finale lights up the skies.

The region’s largest multicultural parade sees the final part of our four-year carnival arts programme ‘Crossing Waters’, depicting the story of Liverpool’s participation in the transatlantic slave trade through the costume designs of award winning artist Ray Mahabir.

The fourth instalment ‘Viey La Cou, theatre of the streets’ will bring together 2008 local, national and international costumed participants to create the largest single body of carnival arts work in the UK. In the run-up to this event the participating groups and communities will undertake arts workshops with some of the world’s finest musicians, dancers, costume makers, puppeteers and stilt walkers.

The Samba School is bringing a Rio style carnival parade to the streets of Liverpool on Saturday night August 2 nd 2008 as part of the Carnival Weekend. Groups from across the UK, Europe and Brazil will take part, with Liverpool people, parading and taking centre stage in a glittering sea of colour, magical floats, costumes, theatre and live music.

The parade will end in the independent district with an outdoor music festival until the early hours. A year in the making, the carnival project involved groups, businesses and volunteers working with national and international artists to produce a mini version of Rio’s “greatest show on earth” in the heart of our city to celebrate out year as Capital of Culture.

Co-commissioned by the Liverpool Culture Company for European Capital of Culture 2008. Movieplex is a film, performance and installation piece bringing to life the filmmaking dynasty of Shanta Rao Dutt.

Nutkhut are working with Brouhaha and Mersey Film and Video on the creation and presentation of Movieplex. Movieplex is co-commissioned by Liverpool Culture Company, Gem Arts and Culture 10, Newcastle, the Royal National Theatre and BFI on the Southbank, London (tbc). (Part of Brouhaha International Street Festival and ‘Imagine’).

St George’s Plateau & Princes Park

FREE

A theatrical funfair that runs on physical energy and the enthusiasm of the audience. In the colourful world of ‘Sensazione’, fairground performers bombard the visitor with wondrous tales and extraordinary requests. When the public flexes its muscles the roundabouts start turning and the lamps light up. The boundary separating the funfair artists and visitors becomes blurred: only by working together can they bring the funfair to life. (Part of ‘Imagine’).

International events including competitors from many nations, mainly participating in sports events.

Legendary August Bank Holiday weekend music festival in Liverpool city centre.