2011 saw one of the UK’s biggest urban festivals grace Liverpool’s Otterspool Promenade and the Royal Liver Building celebrate its 100 year anniversary with a spectacular showcase as part of ‘On The Waterfront’.

 

hand with a tattoo holding a spray can creating graffiti art

HUB Festival

The city’s favourite urban festival returned to Otterspool Promenade in May. Featuring a Liverpool Sound City stage, the UK’s top BMXers and skateboarders were provided with the ultimate soundtrack by award-winning acts Funeral of a Friend, The Blackout and Mayday Parade.

Bboys and Bgirls from across the globe, including Japan, Germany, Korea and Italy, also went head-to-head during the UK’s largest outdoor international break dance competition, battling it out to win the title of ‘International Break Dance Crew’.


Macular projection on the Royal Liver Building

On the Waterfront & The Macula Spectacular

July saw the 100 year anniversary of the famous Liverpool landmark, the Royal Liver Building. To mark the centenary, from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 July, Culture Liverpool hosted On the Waterfront, alongside ‘The Macula’. The Macular was a spectacular 3D light projection display, which told the 800-year story of Liverpool in a succession of stunning images, including a flying Liver Bird and an optical illusion of the building being struck by a bomb during World War II. A second light display illuminated the then recently opened Museum of Liverpool, as Czech artists, The Macula, made their UK debut.

Live music was provided over the course of the three days through free concerts featuring singer Connie Lush, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and band the 6ix Toys, whilst lantern displays dazzled an estimated 60,000 visitors, resulting in an economic impact of £2million.

The ‘On the Waterfront’ festivities continued later on that year in September, with the new-look Mersey River Festival. Returning for the first time since 2005, it featured a royal naval visit, historic Tall Ships and Cunard cruise liners, including Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary 2.

The waterfront came alive with aerobatic displays, stunning street theatre and a bistro village of delicious delights, with a main stage that featured a number of performances which had the visiting masses dancing and singing all along the waterfront.

Image © Ant Clausen
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