What's On In Liverpool (3-8 May)

Grab your calendar—here are the most interesting events coming up in and around Liverpool.

May 02, 2026

Welcome to another edition of Liverpool & Beyond! Before we get to the usual events list, here are a couple of big ones you should really have on your radar…

🎪 If you didn’t manage to make the Southport Big Top Festival today, don’t worry, it’s on tomorrow (Sunday), too! This free festival is turning Southport “into a stage for some of the best circus performers in the world”, and you can see the full programme here.

🇪🇺 Liverpool European Festival will be spread throughout the city this May and June, celebrating all things European. See the full events list here, and pop along to the launch event on 9 May at the Bombed Out Church!

GRAB YOUR DIARY
Upcoming Events In Liverpool

Below is a pretty lengthy list of the best upcoming events happening over the next week, and more. If you do decide to go to any events after spotting them in this newsletter, please let us know! We’ve marked what we think are the highlights with a ⭐️ for easier scanning!

Note: sometimes errors slip through, so please check details before making plans.

SAT 2 MAY

⭐️ SMITHDOWN FESTIVAL — Expect streetside stages and a steady flow of locals as Smithdown Festival carries on through another busy day.
Free
⭐️ AN EVENING OF RADIOHEAD AT LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL — Listen to Radiohead’s music reimagined with band, vocals, and strings inside a cathedral setting.
19:30-22:30  |  Liverpool Cathedral  |  Free (Booking Required)
SPRING COMEDY TAKEOVER AT LIVERPOOL IRISH CENTRE — Catch a lineup of comedians at a spring event built for big laughs.
19:00-22:30  |  Liverpool Irish Centre  |  Tickets
MAY BANK HOLIDAY QUADRANT PARK PARTY — Join a spring party night at Quadrant Park focused on dancefloor energy.
16:00-23:00  |  Camp And Furnace  |  Tickets
MAY'S MIRROR MOVES — Dance to post-punk, new wave, and synth-pop at this club night.
21:00-02:00  |  QU A RR Y  |  Tickets

SUN 3 MAY

DAWN CHORUS WALK — Set out early on a guided walk where birdsong takes center stage and local species are identified along the way.
07:30-10:30  |  Barn Hey Farm  |  Tickets
ECO HACKS: INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSTING — Pick up practical composting tips that work whether you’re starting from scratch or giving it another go.
11:00-13:00  |  Barn Hey Farm  |  Tickets
⭐️ SMITHDOWN FESTIVAL — Feel South Liverpool fill with music and community spirit as this nonprofit festival weekend unfolds.
Free
BANK HOLIDAY MADNESS @ THE BENIDORM BAR — Head to a Bank Holiday party hosted by drag performers with themed drinks.
16:00  |  The Benidorm Bar  |  Free (Booking Required)
MOSAIC ART WORKSHOP IN LIVERPOOL — Build your own mosaic lamp in a guided workshop open to all skill levels.
10:30  |  Trinity with Palm Grove United Reformed and Methodist Church  |  Tickets
PARADISCO — Dance through a house and disco lineup featuring well-known DJs and vocalists.
14:00-02:00  |  Wav Liverpool  |  Tickets
SUNDOWN ON LIBERTE ROOFTOP — Watch the sun set over the city with DJs providing the soundtrack from a rooftop.
16:00-22:00  |  Liberte Sky Garden  |  Tickets
LDF X DISTRICT BANK HOL BLOCK PARTY W/ LIL LOUIS & MORE — Celebrate a decade of Liverpool Disco Festival with a block party featuring house music pioneers.
14:00-04:00  |  District  |  Tickets
JUDGEMENT SUNDAYS W/ JUDGE JULES — Experience an Ibiza-style club night led by Judge Jules and a lineup of guest DJs.
16:00-22:00  |  Hangar 34  |  Tickets
LIVE WRESTLING IN WIDNES — Watch live wrestling return to Widnes for another year of in-ring action.
13:00-17:00  |  The Woodlands Bar And Grill  |  Tickets
SAVE THE RAVE - MAIN EVENT — Return to a well-known venue for a high-energy rave with a familiar crowd.
20:00  |  Club 051  |  Tickets
SANTACRUZAN AND FLORES DE MAYO 2026 — Experience Filipino cultural traditions through Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo celebrations.
14:00  |  Kensington & Fairfield  |  Tickets
WIRRAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — Hear a joint performance from Wirral Symphony Orchestra and a visiting choir.
14:00  |  Liverpool Philharmonic Hall  |  Tickets
TOM DAVIS: SPUDGUN — Listen to Tom Davis share new stand-up material on tour.
20:00  |  Liverpool Philharmonic Hall  |  Tickets

MON 4 MAY

⭐️ SMITHDOWN FESTIVAL — Watch Bank Holiday energy return to Smithdown with live acts and neighborhood events throughout.
Free
K-POP VS POP QUEENS - LIVERPOOL — See K-pop acts and pop tribute performances share the same stage.
11:00-13:00  |  Boxpark Liverpool  |  Tickets
VLRY WITH SPECIAL GUESTS — Hear live sets from VLRY and special guest performers.
20:00-22:30  |  The Jacaranda Club  |  Tickets
AN TOSTAL — Spend an afternoon at a community event with activities across multiple spaces.
14:00-19:00  |  Liverpool Irish Centre  |  Free
⭐️ THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW IN LIVERPOOL — Catch a touring production of The Rocky Horror Show as it hits Liverpool.
20:00-22:00  |  Liverpool Empire  |  Tickets
⭐️ DISNEY IN CONCERT: THE SOUND OF MAGIC — Enjoy a symphonic concert celebrating a century of Disney music and animation.
19:30  |  Liverpool Philharmonic Hall  |  Tickets

TUE 5 MAY

POETRY WORKSHOP FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS — Join a collaborative poetry session inviting refugees and migrants to share voices through the Immigrant Scar project.
18:00-20:00  |  Open Eye Gallery  |  Free (Booking Required)
WATERCOLOUR PAINTING ART CLASS — Work through watercolour techniques in a relaxed, beginner-friendly class.
10:30-13:00  |  68 Upper Hill St  |  Tickets
SAVE WOOLTON PICTUREHOUSE HOSTED BY CATERPILLAR COLLECTIVE — Support Woolton Picturehouse with a benefit show featuring local artists.
18:30-22:00  |  Artefact, Liverpool  |  Tickets
JAZZ AFTERNOON — Settle into a jazz session with classic tunes and a relaxed atmosphere.
14:00  |  Sefton Park Palm House  |  Free

WED 6 MAY

⭐️ AN EVENING WITH STEVE CRADOCK — Hear Steve Cradock look back on decades in British rock, from Ocean Colour Scene onward.
19:30-21:20  |  The Atkinson  |  Tickets
CREATIVE CITIES CONVENTION — Meet creators from film, TV, and digital industries working outside London.
12:15-16:00  |  Camp and Furnace  |  Tickets
WATERSTONES LIVERPOOL WELCOMES JOE ABERCROMBIE — Hear Joe Abercrombie discuss his new novel and writing process at Waterstones.
19:00  |  OH ME OH MY  |  Tickets
RELAXED BUSINESS NETWORKING IN PERSON - WOOLTON VILLAGE — Drop into a midweek networking group with coaching, conversation, and good coffee.
09:00-11:00  |  Botanico Woolton  |  Free (Booking Required)
PSYCHIC NIGHT — Attend a fundraising psychic night featuring mediumship demonstrations.
19:00-22:00  |  Egerton House Dockside Entrance  |  Tickets
LIVERPOOL LAUGHS STAND-UP COMEDY SHOW — Join a monthly stand-up night featuring seven comedians in a central venue.
19:00-21:45  |  Heebie Jeebies  |  Tickets

THU 7 MAY

⭐️ PAUL SIMON — Catch Paul Simon for a single Liverpool date on his A Quiet Celebration Tour.
18:30  |  M&S Bank Arena  |  Tickets
DELE SOSIMI’S AFROBEAT EXPERIENCE — Spend an evening with Dele Sosimi exploring Afrobeat through performance, history, and lived experience.
19:00  |  Future Yard  |  Tickets
LIVERPOOL BUSINESS SHOW — Spend the day networking and learning at a business-focused event in Liverpool.
10:00-14:00  |  Village Hotel Liverpool  |  Free (Booking Required)
WATERSTONES LIVERPOOL - JANE COSTELLO LAUNCH EVENT FOR FORTY LOVE — Attend a book launch where Jane Costello introduces her latest novel Forty Love.
18:30  |  12 College Ln  |  Tickets
CHARACTER CREATION THROUGH LABAN TECHNIQUE WITH DIANA BROWN — Explore character creation through movement using the Laban technique.
13:00-16:00  |  Liverpool Arts Bar  |  Tickets

FRI 8 MAY

DAVID ELMS DESCRIBES A ROOM | LIF 2026 — See a cult favorite arrive in Liverpool as this acclaimed show makes the jump from London and Edinburgh.
19:00  |  Unity One  |  Tickets
PHOENIX DANCE: INTERPLAY — Take in a mixed dance program pairing established choreographers with emerging voices.
19:30  |  Everyman & Playhouse  |  Tickets
CHINA CRISIS — Listen as China Crisis revisit more than 40 years of inventive pop on tour.
20:00  |  The Atkinson  |  Tickets
BENI BINGO HOSTED BY LICKY VICKY @ THE BENIDORM BAR — Try a bingo night with a twist, hosted by a familiar Benidorm-style personality.
18:00-21:00  |  The Benidorm Bar  |  Free (Booking Required)
ALL NEW FRIENDS QUIZ — Test your knowledge at a Friends-themed quiz packed with references.
18:30-23:00  |  Camp And Furnace  |  Tickets
WOOLTON GOLF CLUB CHARITY NIGHHT IN AID OF WOOLTON PICTURE HOUSE — Support a charity gig aimed at saving a local cinema in Woolton.
18:00  |  Woolton Golf Club  |  Tickets

LOOKING AHEAD 👇

SAT 9 MAY — INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY: ED RUSCHA — Explore Liverpool through your lens in a photography workshop inspired by Ed Ruscha. (Tate Liverpool + RIBA North)
SAT 9 MAY — INTRODUCTION TO UV SCREEN PRINTING — Learn the basics of UV screen printing and how to apply it to fabric and paper. (Bluecoat)
SAT 9 MAY — LEAP DANCE FESTIVAL TAKE OVER: SCRATCH — Watch three in-progress dance works tackle identity, intimacy, and liberation. (The Studio)
SAT 9 MAY — ⭐️ THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT | LIF 2026 — Experience improvised Shakespeare shaped in real time by a troupe with decades of experience. (Unity One)
SAT 9 MAY — PATRICK MONAHAN: THE GOOD, THE PAT & THE UGLY — Laugh along as Patrick Monahan shares stories about love, marathons, and everyday mishaps. (The Atkinson)
SAT 9 MAY — ⭐️ LEAP 2026’S BIG BURLESQUE CABARET — End the Leap Dance Festival with a mix of burlesque, cabaret, and aerial performance. (Cockpit Theatre)
MON 11 MAY — CONSCIOUS PILOT — Immerse yourself in beat-driven soundscapes from Glasgow duo Conscious Pilot. (Future Yard)
TUE 12 MAY — BOOK LAUNCH: RHYTHMS: BY TONY WAILEY — Mark the launch of a new novel as Tony Wailey introduces the latest Smyth-Wailey installment. (Quakers Meeting House)
WED 13 MAY — A HISTORY OF SILCOCK LEISURE IN SOUTHPORT — Trace the story of Southport’s Silcock leisure legacy through talks and discussion. (The Atkinson)
THU 14 MAY — MAKE HUYTON VILLAGE SHOWCASE 2026 LAUNCH — Celebrate local creativity at the launch of this Huyton Village showcase. (Make on the Corner)
THU 14 MAY — THE CITY OF CURSES: A MURDER MYSTERY BY TRIAL — Step into a civil war-era mystery where accusations and trial shape the story’s direction. (Cockpit Theatre)
FRI 15 MAY — ELEPHANT SESSIONS — Hear contemporary folk with festival-honed energy from Elephant Sessions. (Future Yard)
SAT 16 MAY — WILLIAM MORRIS LAMPSHADE MAKING WORKSHOP — Make a lampshade using classic William Morris fabric with hands-on guidance. (John Lewis & Partners)
SAT 16 MAY — SPRING BOTANICAL CYANTOYPE — Use sunlight and plants to create cyanotype prints inspired by a garden setting. (Bluecoat)
SAT 16 MAY — ⭐️ AGROFORESTRY OPEN DAY: FARM TOUR — Walk a working agroforestry farm and see organic systems in practice. (Barn Hey Farm)