Why Smithdown Festival has become one of the city’s best loved events

Smithdown Festival is back in May with four days of music, arts, and family fun.

It’s 11 years since the event first took over the popular Liverpool area across the Bank Holiday weekend, and it’s grown massively from then on.

Andy Scott, owner of the Black Cat bar who co-founded and organises it with Handyman pub owner Kevin McArthur, says: “It’s just a great excuse for everyone in the area – and beyond – to come together and have a massive party.

“We try to make sure there’s something for everyone, from families to students and younger people and older ones … anyone!

“Every year we think what can we do to make it better and different? It’s just amazing to see so many people enjoying themselves.”

He adds: “It’s such a feel-good event and it makes everybody happy.

“It’s always been good weather every year – and fingers crossed it’s the same this year.”

The first Smithdown Festival took place in 2015 when Andy and Kevin – then owners of the Evil Eye (now Beeswing) and Kelly’s decided to put a spotlight on the area.

Andy says; “We wanted to do something that put Smithdown Road a little bit more on the map instead of it just being known as Studentville.”

“We wanted to say this area is brilliant.  It had some vibrant bars back then and over the last 10 years or so there’s been loads of investment from the likes of Belzan and Leaf, and more restaurants opening all the time, so it’s got cracking bars and restaurants now – it’s just a great area.

“The idea was to come up with something, basically an event to create community cohesion, for people living in the local area to come out and have a brilliant free weekend – a bit like the old Liverpool show.

“We wanted it to be for everyone and cover all corners of the community so there’d be things for kids, and older people, and those who feel isolated to help combat loneliness.

“When we started it was only in a few pubs and bars at first, and it’s just grown. It’s a massive community event now, and a huge celebration of the whole area, and a chance to promote the area to people all over the city.”

Even during the pandemic there was an online event.

The Smithdown Festival is hosted by around 20 venues and as well as musical acts – all of which, Andy is keen to add, are paid properly and fairly – you can listen to from the Friday to Monday, there are plenty of activities from quizzes to crochet clubs, and you can even make you own magazine.

There’s comedy and poetry and, Andy adds: “We’ve got a big outdoor space for family events, and we’ve got bands outside, wrestling, food markets, face painting, and arts and crafts, all that sort of stuff.

“We’ve got busking spots around Smithdown, and it’s not just Smithdown Road, it spreads right down to Penny Lane.”

For the first time last year – and hopefully back this year – the Quaker Memorial Garden became an alcohol free area with acoustic music and an exhibition of photographs from Liverpool Then and Now with how Wavertree looked in the past and in the present.

“People can just relax and walk around, listen to the music and enjoy the photographs.”

On Mondays there’s the now-legendary Hangover Quiz in the Black Cat when everyone tests their general knowledge and gets stuck into free chip butties.

So Curious is a family-friendly café that that will be running a disco for kids with autism, with smaller sessions for around 10-12 youngsters for those who can’t cope with big crowds or large noises.

Andy stresses; “Like I say we want to make sure everyone is included.”

It’s an entirely non-profit event, although there are donation buckets in the venues with any money raised going to The whitechapel Centre.

“It’s hard to think it’s so big now and it’s just the two of us.”

Andy says: “People can’t always afford to go to music events, or softplay centres – everything’s so expensive, but this is free.

“From a business point of view, it’s nice to see everywhere full.

“But we really do it because it feels good and, selfishly, it feels nice to see people having a good time and thinking we did this.  It’s hard work, but it’s so worth it!”

Get more information about Smithdown Festival here.

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