May Day bank holiday: Events in Liverpool

To help you make the most of the extended weekend, we've put together this handy rundown of what's what across the city. We're talking Liverpool Art Fair, Kevin Saunderson at Williamson Tunnels and even a dedicated doggy day.

Oh, and we haven't forgotten about you, Mancunians – here's our guide to May Day events in Manchester.

No. 1 pick: Smithdown Road Festival

Smithdown Road’s bars, cafes and people come together for a full weekend of entertainment for the community and beyond. Among the live music and food and drink events, our highlights include acclaimed singer-songwriter Natalie McCool, gruff, politically-charged folk troubadour Beans on Toast and guitar trio False Advertising, who performed at our showcase at the end of last year. There’s also an outdoor market at The Brookhouse, another indoor one at Kelly’s Dispensary, along with plans for art installations, theatre and circus performances, pop-up shops and more. Entry’s free, but you can sign up for a festival wristband for discounts, offers and afterparty entry (Sat 30 Apr-Mon 2 May, times vary, free).

Sunday's best clubbing

Detroit techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson stops by Williamson Tunnels, flying in all the way from the States for a three-hour set. He’ll be joined by the Northwest’s Ged Lever and Derek Kaye (Sun 1 May, 8pm, £15).

And it’s from one techno night to another, this time with T Shop at 24 Kitchen Street, though if you’re after something old school Exit presents Brummie bass master Low Steppa, with Parisian gangster house special guests Amine Edge and Dance. Support comes from Mark Ingham, Day Maguire, Josh Miller and Liam Cooper, who’ll play an old school set (Sun 1 May, 10pm, £15-£22.50).

The best of Liverpool's live music

[Tindersticks cineconcert]

Having drummed up a more-than-reliable output over the last 25 years, Nottingham chamber-pop outfit Tindersticks return with their tenth studio album, The Waiting Room, where each song of the new album has a specially-commissioned film produced by La Blogotheque to accompany it. These will be screened at the show as part of a ‘cineconcert’ – it’s all about AV culture these days, after all (Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Sun 1 May, 8pm, £20-£26).

Juliette Lewis-fronted rock ‘n’ rollers Juliette and The Licks join The Beta Band’s Steve Mason as headliners for this year’s Festevol at Camp and Furnace, where other acts to catch include Manchester’s indie-pop tour de force Blossoms, scuzzy psych-rock outfit Blank Honey and up-and-comers, Hooton Tennis Club, Marnie, The Vryll Society and Hidden Charms (Sun 1 May, 2pm, £25).

Spanning the weekend, Liverpudlian music institution The Cavern will call upon the Northwest’s classic rock community for the arrival of 2016’s Liverpool Mod Weekender, promising live sets from seven bands and tribute acts each day. No doubt one for the city’s aging but dedicated elite of mod rockers (times vary, £10-£17).

And if the head’s not too sore the next day, Grammy award-winning prog-rockers YES are also in town for an evening of classic sounds from the 70s and beyond, featuring long-time members including guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White (Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 7.30pm, £39-£44).

Art in Liverpool

Connecting local artists with new art buyers, the annual four-day, open-submission Liverpool Art Fair returns to fill the bank holiday weekend with accessible art. With a focus on giving people the opportunity the chance to buy high quality, original pieces at affordable prices, prices start from around £20 (Fri 29 Apr-Mon 2 May, The Gallery, 11am, free).

May Day also marks day one of Writing on the Wall Festival, which takes place throughout May with a 2016 theme of 'the future' to celebrate writing, diversity, tolerance, storytelling and humour through comedy, discussion, workshops and more. The festival kicks off with a literary time machine based at Liverpool One, where visitors are invited to join special guests including science rapper Jonathan Chase and submit short flash fiction, while elsewhere in the calendar, highlights include comedians Alexei Sayle and Isy Suttie, dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson and The Skinny favourite Hollie McNish (Sun 1-Thu 28 May, times and prices vary).

Along with these, for the May Day weekend you'd also be wise to seize some last chances for many of the city's current exhibitions, including Top Bantz at The Royal Standard, Scouse Roots, Networked Narrative: Northern Powerhouse 2065 and Trace Elements all at FACT. 

Something different...

Move over cat people, for in Calderstones Park it’s a canine takeover with the ingeniously-titled Bark in the Park. The third annual event will feature over 25 dog show classes, around 30 trade stands and an expected 3000+ visitors to celebrate all that’s great about man’s best mate. All money raised goes to Merseyside Dogs Home, which, as you’ll see here, is a great cause but relies completely on public support and volunteers. Brings a whole new meaning to dogging in the park, thankfully (Sun 1 May, 10am, free entry). 

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