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AN ACTION-PACKED MONTH AHEAD FOR WIRRAL!
May is set to be an extraordinary month for sport and
culture in Wirral, with an incredible line-up of events
planned as part of this year’s Borough of Culture
programme. The Borough of Culture year kicked off in
style in March, with more than 10,000 people turning out
to experience the amazing Animated Square, which told
the story of Birkenhead and Wirral through a breathtaking
projection show onto Birkenhead Town Hall.
This month sees a brand-new outdoor spectacular come to
Birkenhead Park, devised in collaboration with Absolutely
Cultured, the company behind Hull’s UK City of Culture. The
Witching Hour will unfold across Wirral and Hull, weaving
together stories exploring local legends and folklore.
around historic Hamilton Square, with cycling-themed
activities in the square during the day before the professional
men’s and women’s races get underway early evening. Look
out for the highlights programme from the Tour Series on
ITV4 the following day.
Cycling fans have even more to look forward to when the
OVO Energy Tour of Britain comes to Wirral on Wednesday
11th September, bringing the world’s top teams and riders for
a special stage starting and finishing in the borough. More
information about Tour of Britain will be announced very
soon!
Taking place from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th May in
Birkenhead and Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th May in Hull, The
Witching Hour will inspire imagination and celebrate local
tales, memories and folklore, exploring stories of local wise
women, magical mythical characters and childhood memories
from these two places on opposite sides of the country. A fascinating season celebrating Wirral’s shipbuilding heritage
also gets underway in May. Made of Iron features exhibitions
and cultural projects showcasing Birkenhead-built vessels
and the people whose lives shaped the shipyard. First up is
6 Vessels – an exhibition at the Williamson Art Gallery &
Museum which opens on Friday 10th May, exploring the
history of six Wirral-built ships including the Ma Robert and
the HMS Birkenhead.
As audiences enter, they will be spellbound by spinning
tales of alchemy and legend from the two parks. Featuring
live performance, a specially commissioned soundtrack,
pyrotechnics and promenading action taking place in and
around the audience. This night-time event starts at 9.45pm,
with Birkenhead Park and the dark night’s sky providing a
stunning backdrop for the magical spectacle. June will see the return of the ever-popular River Festival on
both sides of the Mersey. River Festival Wirral will bring a
weekend of free seaside fun for all the family to New Brighton
on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June. Look out for giant sand
sculptures, sea creature street entertainment and musical
performances – plus plenty of surprises popping up along the
waterfront!
On Tuesday 21st May, Birkenhead will play host to the
OVO Energy Tour Series for the first time. The fast-paced,
team-based event brings together some of the best in British
professional male and female riders. The race will centre For more information on all Borough of Culture events,
check out imaginewirral.com and follow @imaginewirral
on Twitter.
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