11 Best Festivals in Liverpool

International Beatleweek is an unforgettable celebration held every year in August in which bands from all over the world come together for an impressive lineup of live performances. While most of the performances are held in the Cavern's 3 venues, it tends to branch out a bit to other venues in the city to encompass everything the city can offer.

Getting the most out of this event has been made easier than ever before. All the venues are located fairly close to the city centre, so you can easily check out everything you like even when travelling on foot.

Liverpool Pride is a long-running LGBTQ+ festival that attracts around 75,000 participants every year that features stages, street stalls, entertainment and a parade. Lasting a weekend near the beginning of August every year, you'll find a Saturday packed full of fun with live performances that everyone can enjoy.

The Sunday portion of the event is typically more laid back focusing on arts and sports. The event itself is run by a charity of the same name, so you can be sure that your participation is helping to fund preserving the rights and protections of LGBTQ+ people across the city.

Africa Oye is one of the most prominent African music celebrations in the UK, attracting more than 50,000 people to town every June around Sefton Park. You can see numerous live performances by artists from primarily Africa and the Caribbean.

The variety of talents on display here is impressive with many artists from all over the diaspora. South African artists, in particular, have introduced Soca, Salsa and Reggae to the festival. As an added bonus, entry to this festival is completely free.

The Liverpool International Music Festival is a monumental event that's held in Sefton Park every summer with more than 70 artists playing every year. A huge variety of genres are played here emphasising the cultural and artistic diversity of Liverpool.

In total, you can enjoy up to 18 hours of live music across 3 distinct outdoor stages. That's just the beginning, however, as you can also attend classes and activities held by music industry experts aimed at upcoming artists and producers.

Liverpool Sound City is an iconic music festival in town that focuses on indie, rock, alternative and electronic music held every October alongside a conference by industry insiders. The live musical performances last 3 days within several venues in the city centre.

Be sure to check out Sound City+, the conference portion of the event to gain valuable insight into the music industry as well as the entertainment industry in general. It's especially helpful if you want to become a part of it one day.

Brazilica is a one-of-a-kind festival in Liverpool that celebrates Brazilian culture and art every July with parades, live music and art exhibitions. One of the most iconic aspects of this festival is fashion. Signature outfits are present throughout the marches, with attendees sporting vibrant colours and intricate designs.

The live musical performances here are unforgettable on carnival day. Percussionists and dancers are especially effective, as nothing gets the crowd moving more than traditional samba selections. You'll find this festival a bit over a mile southeast of the city centre.

The LightNight festival occurs for one night and showcases a variety of artistic performances using large-scale light projections for much of it that only work after sundown. It takes place across several venues in Merseyside that are all opened late for the occasion.

Within the festival itself, you'll find a variety of different attractions from live musical performances to spoken word shows. Light projection art is common along with dancing and artistic exhibitions. You'll likely find something there no matter what kind of art you're interested in.

Liverpool Film and Food Fest is an annual festival that showcases 4 days of outdoor cinema comprising both classic favorites and brand new releases. To complement these specifically curated short films, you'll find some of the best street food in Liverpool.

The spread at this festival is surprisingly diverse. You'll find burgers, ice cream and plenty of drinks at the bars, but that's just the beginning. You can also enjoy foods like bruschetta and crepes. The festival is held at the end of summer across several outdoor venues near the city centre.

Baltic Weekender is an annual festival that brings an incredible lineup of techno and electronica artists together to create the ultimate rave atmosphere and experience. During the summer, you can get in and see the entire lineup across several different stages and venues.

The festival is set up in several venues in the town centre, so you'll never have to travel far to get to the next artist you want to see. Keep in mind, however, that this is strictly an 18+ event, so children are not allowed even when accompanied by adults.

Let's Rock Liverpool is a retro music festival that brings the sights and sounds of the 80s to Wavertree Playing Fields east of the town centre. The lineup features artists from the iconic era as well as others who were able to expertly capture the signature sound.

This is a notably family-friendly event, so don't hesitate to take your little ones along. Food will be available at the festival as well including BBQ, Indian, Mexican and Chinese offerings. Bars can offer drinks as well, both alcoholic and not.