Prescot Town Centre was packed with thousands of visitors for a weekend of nonsense!
17,000 people flocked to the three-day Serious Nonsense Festival to celebrate Knowsley’s connection to Edward Lear, who is best known for his literary nonsense and wrote his famous Owl and Pussy-Cat poem during his stay at Knowsley Hall.
The town hosted all sorts of antics including roaming dinosaurs, a giant inflatable whale, hot air balloonists and an eccentric fortune teller.
Visitors also enjoyed live music, street performances and acrobatic displays and Edward Lear himself made an appearance, treating visitors to some of his well-known limericks!
Shakespeare North Playhouse hosted a series of sell out shows including award winning poetry, a celebration of LGBTQ+ literature, a masterclass with Carl Hunter, film director and bassist in Liverpool band The farm, and writer and broadcaster Reverend Richard Coles.
Local businesses also joined in the nonsense and hosted a T-Rex hunt, where children could take home their very own baby T-Rex.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “Once again it was a fabulous weekend! Prescot was really buzzing with such a great atmosphere, it was wonderful to see the town so busy and everyone enjoying themselves. It’s not every day you see a couple of giant Kangaroos bouncing along Eccleston Street or horses popping into the local shops!
“Cultural events like this are really important for Knowsley and our communities and I’m so pleased to see the legacy of our year as borough of culture continue in such a strong way.”
The Serious Nonsense Festival was first held in 2022 when Knowsley was Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture. This year’s event was programmed and produced by Walk the Plank, outdoor arts specialists.
Bev Ayre, Senior Producer at Walk the Plank commented: “We love making magic all over the world and were delighted to see the people of Prescot joining in our mischief making so enthusiastically at the Serious Nonsense festival this year.”
Serious Nonsense Festival 2023
This year’s festival was funded by Knowsley Council, Arts Council England, Prescot High Street Heritage Action Zone and UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The event was also supported by the Prescot Cultural Consortium, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Imaginarium Theatre and Milap.