Liverpool ONE 'Mega Busk' sees 100 musicians gather for World Ukulele Day

More than 100 ukulele players came together to stage a special performance as part of a ‘World Ukulele Day Mega Busk’ yesterday (Sunday 2 February 2025).

The group played a 30-minute set outside John Lewis in Liverpool ONE, fundraising for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust.

The performance included crowd favourites such as Eight Days a Week by The Beatles and Delilah by Tom Jones, rounding off with a rendition of Valerie by Liverpool-born The Zutons.

© Liverpool ONE - Ukulele Mega Busk — © Liverpool ONE – Ukulele Mega Busk

The Mega Busk was part of a free-to-attend Ukulele Party that took place from 1:30pm-9pm, starting at The Hilton Hotel.

Organised by Jacqui Rawcliffe from Ukecan Ukulele Tours and Sara Cassidy from Summer Strum, the event featured performances throughout the day, culminating in a headline set from The Sisters of Mersey.

Sara Cassidy, Organiser of the Summer Strum Festival, said:

“World Ukulele Day is all about bringing people together through music and creating moments of joy and connection. The Mega Busk at Liverpool ONE highlights the ukulele community’s vibrant spirit while raising funds for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust and the Summer Strum Festival.

“Summer Strum is dedicated to combating loneliness and fostering inclusion through music, and events like this are a wonderful way to connect people of all ages and backgrounds while supporting great causes.”

Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, said:

“Music is such an integral part of Liverpool’s identity and we’re passionate about flying the flag for local talent.

“We’re dedicated to creating memorable and interactive experiences for our visitors with free events like this one and the World Ukulele Day Mega Busk provided exactly that.

“It was fantastic to see people of all ages coming down and getting involved, singing along and enjoying the atmosphere – the first of a whole programme of music-led events at Liverpool ONE for 2025!”