Matthew Street Festival 2009
Headed down to Liverpool on Sunday 30th August to the Matthew Street Festival. I had never been before and it was really impressive, especially for a council run event. You expect council's to somehow make these things a damp squib (it was damp, but no one can control the weather!) but there was an incredible buzz across the city.
Looking through the programme I was stunned by just how much there was on. Six outdoor stages, what seemed like every pub and bar with bands on during the day and late into the evening. The place was heaving as well, I think every person in Liverpool had come out to celebrate the festival.
A lot of the events were free so you could just turn up and join in, not worrying about spending a fortune going into places. Only a few venues, such as the Cavern Club were charging - but even then it was £5 for 20 bands throughout the day covering Beatles classics, and you could get a stamp and come in anytime.
The traffic management seemed good, the parking was available and there were plenty of stewards and police around. The atmosphere was celebratory, there were plenty of drunk people but it was a happy drunk.
Liverpool City Council should be congratulated on what was a fantastic event, and their use of social media and the web was excellent. The Matthew Street Festival website is well put together, they were using twitter and flickr to bring short messages and photos into the festival. Other council's and organisations planning music or big outdoor events should definitely learn lessons from this, particularly Preston City Council as Preston heads towards the 2012 Preston Guild.
A top event and something I'd like to go back to next year.
Image credit to Eric The Fish.