Everything You Need To Know About International Beatleweek Festival in Liverpool

Fans of the Fab Four are gearing up for International Beatleweek Festival because, as Cavern Club director and event organiser Jon Keats says:

“There are many Beatles festivals and conventions held all around the world – but nobody does it like Liverpool! As the birthplace of The Beatles, it offers an experience that simply can’t be replicated anywhere else.”

This year is the 38^th International Beatleweek Festival and it promises to be the biggest and best yet with new events and guest speakers, and tons of bands paying tribute to the legendary group.

Money can’t buy you love, but it can buy you a fabulous time celebrating and honouring John, Paul, George and Ringo.

So here’s Everything You Need To Know…

When is International Beatleweek Festival?

It’s being held right across the August Bank Holiday weekend from Wednesday, August 21 to Tuesday, August 27.

Where is it being held?

It’s taking place throughout Merseyside, with much of the action centring in and around Liverpool but, with more venues than ever this year, stretching across to the Wirral too.

What is International Beatleweek Festival?

International Beatleweek Festival is organised by the owners of the world-famous Cavern Club and is an annual event that brings together top tribute bands from more than 25 countries (and fans from more than 40!) for a week-long celebration of all things Beatles and beyond. 

What venues in Liverpool will events and shows be held at?

Loads of places, from the Cavern Club and Live Lounge, to Central Hall, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), the Adelphi Hotel, Ye Cracke Pub, and the Pier Head.

Beatles Convention – Sunday, August 24 at 11am

Sunday can only mean one thing during Beatleweek and that is Convention Day. Originally started in the late 1970s with Liz and Jim Hughes it goes on from morning until midnight with the promise of live music, interviews, guests, historians, plays, films, a memorabilia market, and exhibitions.

Who are this year’s guest speakers for International Beatleweek?

Among the speakers scheduled to appear for 2024 are Geoff Baker, Paul McCartney’s main PR man for more than a decade; May Pang, John Lennon’s partner during his ‘Lost Weekend’; Jay Bergen, Lennon’s lawyer during a turbulent period for John in the mid-70s, and Kevin Harrington, the roadie who featured in The Beatles’ Let It Be film and Peter Jackson’s recent documentary, The Beatles Get Back (affectionately known as ‘The Redhead on the Roof’). What all these people have in common is that they knew The Beatles well and can offer fans unique and intimate insights. 

What’s new for this year?

Blimey, where do we start? There’s quite a lot but here’s our pick of the best.

* Beatles v Stones: One of the highlights this year will be over on the Wirral with the first ever takeover of New Brighton, where a theatre show, The Beatles vs The Stones, will be performed at the Floral Pavilion on Friday, August 23. It will feature the officially endorsed Cavern Club band, The Cavern Club Beatles, alongside Swedish favourites Rocks Off, in a musical showdown.

* Mad Day Out: This event on Saturday, August 24, will pay homage to the historic Tower Ballroom in New Brighton, where The Beatles performed an impressive 27 times, offering fans a unique opportunity to experience the magic of the seaside town steeped in Beatles history. It’ll include a concert featuring The Cavern Club Beatles, Rocks Off from Sweden and a bone-a-fide Little Richard! There will be three stages at the Floral Pavilion Theatre and another one opposite at Fort Perch Rock, as well as bars and restaurants along Victoria Street joining in.

* The Grosvenor Ballroom in Wallasey: Another iconic Beatles’ haunt, The Grosvenor, will open its doors exclusively for International Beatleweek Festival with the energetic young Beatles Complete band transporting fans back to the golden era of Beatlemania.  

Tribute to Mathew Street Festival concert

It’s 10 years since the last Mathew Street Festival, so to commemorate the milestone, there’s going to be a special tribute concert on Monday, August 26, at the Pier Head. At its peak the Mathew Street Festival in the city had six stages and welcomed more than 150,000. This concert will mark the history of the event with a tribute concert to The Beatles, as well as other musical legends from Queen, to Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and more. 

New, too, is The Travelling Wilburys Experience

As if there wasn’t already enough going on, The Traveling Wilburys Experience is making its debut at International Beatleweek 2024 on Monday, August 26 at Grand Central Hall. The theatre show brings to life the collective music of legends Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and George Harrison. Audiences will enjoy classic hits from the supergroup as well as their own solo masterpieces.

Fitting finale – Tribute to Andre Concert at The Cavern Club

On the last day of International Beatleweek Festival 2024 – Tuesday, August 27 – Andre Barreau will be honoured in a special concert.  Andre, who passed away just before last year’s annual event, was in the stage show ‘Beatlemania’ in 1979 and, after that, played George Harrison for 37 years in The Bootleg Beatles. 

How do I get tickets and are they still available?

All tickets for individual events and packages for multiple shows and experiences are available online via the International Beatleweek Festival website and by phone: 0151 236 9091. Prices start from £10 for events, with packages beginning at £130.

Find more summer events across the Liverpool City Region here.