Liverpool’s renowned Smithdown Festival will return this weekend for its fifth year running.
After the 2020 line-up was cancelled, the organisers revealed an impressive list of acts for this year’s festival last month. Alongside some of Smithdown Road’s most popular venues, a handful of new additions have been added to the line-up including Leaf Smithdown, Tavern Co, St Barnabas Church, Foghertys and Meatless.
Since 2015 Smithdown Road festival has been home to a range of local artists, whether they are already in the scene or emerging and this year you can expect much the same.
The impressive music line-up includes familiar Liverpool names such as The Peach Fuzz, Ali Horn and the Hushtones covering over 15 venues from Friday 24 September to Sunday 26 September. Here’s an overview of what to expect over the weekend and where you can find it!
For those who are keen to follow the pulse of Liverpool’s music scene, The Handyman Pub stage, presented by Whispering Pines Collective, will be hosting live music on all four days. Acts include, Spilt, The Heavy North, Psycho Comedy, The Peach Fuzz, Motel Sundown and Ali Horn.
The Tavern, a new addition to the festival’s venue line- up, will also host entertainment for the weekend from 9pm every night including sets from Dylan Roberts, Neildsey, Adam Danger and Keith Xander. Black Cat will also be hosting DJs over the weekend alongside music from the Boston Shakers, Salt the Snail, Gen and the Degenerates and The DSM IV.
If you’d like to take a piece of music home for yourself, Defend Vinyl will be open all weekend selling records as well as providing music on their stage with sets from Silent Sleep, Ed Poole, Mark Magill and Puzzle.
To grab festival merch, promoters suggest you check out Tiny Ricks, which will be the festival’s fundraiser bar throughout the weekend, alongside live music with a DJ set from Liquidation on Sunday night to finish up the weekend.
For those looking for fun for all the family, Sefton Park Cricket Club will be hosting an outdoor family area where you will find food and market stalls, kid’s activities and a live wrestling show which will take place at 2pm on Saturday.
Whatever your interests, Smithdown Festival have something for everyone and after almost two years, it’s set to return with a jam-packed weekend!
The festival promoters have teamed up with The Whitechapel Centre, a homeless charity, for the fifth year running. If you’d like to donate, they will be raising money at every venue and event throughout the weekend.
With recent setbacks, the festival organisers have also faced a lack of funding needed to cover security costs, toilets, fencing, ground hire and entertainment for the weekend. Event organiser Andy Scott has set up a crowdfunding page in order to raise funds which you can still donate to here.
If you’d like to work at Smithdown Festival as a bartender, runner or with general assistance you can email [email protected] for further information.
All venues across Smithdown Festival will be free to enter. For more information click here.
Naomi Campbell
