Smithdown Festival have announced the first wave of acts for this their 10th birthday celebration in Liverpool.
The festival will be taking over venues along Smithdown Road and Penny Lane from 2nd to 5th May 2025 for a weekend of free live music, DJs and family friendly fun – all in support of the Whitechapel centre.
Organiser (and owner of Handymans) Kev McArthur says:
“We’re thrilled to be putting on the biggest festival we’ve done since pre-covid times. There’s so much here to help us celebrate our tenth birthday. What’s on that weekend can get the whole community involved in some way.”
Organiser Andy Scott (and owner of Black Cat) says:
“After ten years, we’ve seen this area change so much for the better and we’re proud to have made it to this landmark year. This year promises to be one of the most ambitious events we’ve done, with so much happening around the area from a warehouse party to a crochet workshop and everything in between!”
Free Live Music
Up on Smithdown Road, brewery taproom Handymans will host scouse synth pop trio Stealing Sheep DJs, African beats from Mamadou and The Lekette, plus up and coming talent from Ellis Murphy and Clockwork Gibbons.
Popular student haunt Black Cat has live music all weekend from the likes of indie rockers Mexican Dogs and Gen and The Degenerates, non-binary DJ collective SISU, and the Big Bank Holiday Hangover Quiz – event festival organiser Andy will be jumping onstage for a gig with his punk outfit Snakes Everywhere! Nomad have a DJ takeover from Everybody Dance and Juicebox. Franks Bar will be bringing old school dance with InDemand Radio DJs including Chris Cee.
Further down the road towards Penny Lane, coffee shop Bean There has a synth night from local promoters Skylark, whilst Penny Lane Wine Bar, Leaf and The Tavern are hosting a raft of local live talent.
Community
As part of the celebrations we’ve put together a broader programme of activities for the community too. Including our first Alcohol Free outdoor stage, held at Quaker Community Garden. There will be walking tours of Toxteth cemetery, while Smithdown Litfest will be hosting a book talk from musician turned author R. Peter Davies at Smithdown Social Arts Hub.
The Arts Hub will also host a 24 hour fundraising Art-A-Thon, with local artists creating art to auction. We will also be working with local community group Liverpool Together, an organisation that tackles loneliness amongst older people with a program of activities such as Pub Quiz and crochet workshop.
The Big Clean will be a huge volunteer led litter pick throughout Wavertree taking place before, during and after the festival – sponsored by Handymans and Black Cat. Big Clean Volunteers will be rewarded for an hour of their time with drinks tokens to use over the weekend – to get involved with The Big Clean please email smithdownfestival@gmail.com
Family friendly
For the families, we have teamed up with Penny Lane Development Trust for a two day outdoor family area including live music from the Rock Project music school, Atomic Wrestling, face painting, arts and crafts, market stalls and a picnic area.
Along with this the Wavertree Coffee House will have a fun afternoon of outdoor live music, inflatables and bbq. Smithdown Social Arts Hub will also be hosting a ‘zine making workshop.
History
Smithdown Festival is a non profit community organisation, with the aim of improving community cohesion whilst promoting grassroots music and arts in Wavertree. Over the past ten years we’ve been lucky enough to have acts on including Craig Charles, Space, Krafty Kuts, Idles, Stone, John Power, The Mysterines, Dave McCabe, Beardyman, Katy McGrath.
Warehouse After Party
For the first time ever, we will also be hosting a ticketed afterparty to be held at Wellington Yard featuring DJ sets from Girls Don’t Sync members G33 and Hannah Lynch, fast-rising multi genre DJ Amber Rose and many many others across two warehouse spaces. All proceeds from ticket sales go towards keeping the festival free. There are limited early bird tickets available from skiddle.com
For more information and up-to-date line up head to the website where more listings will be added over the coming weeks.
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