Almost 15,000 people visited Prescot this weekend for the Serious Nonsense Festival.
Shakespeare North Playhouse and Prescot Town Centre were packed with nonsense for the massive three-day adventure that celebrated Edward Lear, best known for his literary nonsense, and who has a significant connection to Knowsley.
The weekend featured sell out performances from renowned writers including Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Michael Rosen, Sarah Asuquo, John Dougherty and Lemm Sissay, as well as fantastical street performances.
From the sublime to the ridiculous there was something for the whole family to enjoy, from giant birdcages and a 50 ft sperm whale to an extraordinary ‘Hippochondriac Hippopotamus’ and the smallest Hotel in the world!
The Serious Nonsense Festival was the latest event as part of Knowsley’s year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture and was, yet again, another hit with local residents and visitors alike.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said:
“This weekend’s Serious Nonsense Festival was yet another fantastic event to celebrate our year as Borough of Culture. Our theme this year is storytelling, and this event really did bring storytelling to life thanks to the renowned authors and street theatre performers who gave memorable performances and ignited a passion for words and stories.
“Significantly, the feedback from local businesses has been fantastic too, with many feeling a positive impact from the number of people in Prescot over the weekend. Events such as this have a wider economic impact and I’m so proud that we are bringing these events to the heart of our communities.”
Serious Nonsense Festival
There’s still plenty more to enjoy this summer as part of Knowsley’s Borough of Culture celebrations:
The Owl and The Pussy-Cat sculpture trail on until Sunday 18 September
United by Land with workshops in August and September
Tale of the Unexpected at Kirkby Gallery until 17 September
To get all the latest information about the year visit www.cultureknowsley.co.uk or follow @cultureknowsley on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and visit www.cultureknowsley.co.uk.
The Serious Nonsense Festival was programmed by Bev Ayre for Knowsley Borough of Culture in association with Writing on the Wall (WoW) and Milapfest.