Having kicked off summer in style with a weekend of jam-packed colourful Pride celebrations, Royal Albert Dock Liverpool is continuing its programme of feel-good activities throughout August with its ‘Festival of Summer’.


Offering a brand new music, food and drink festival, family-friendly activities and the perfect summer selfie spots, it’s all here on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. 


At the centre of the festivities is Soundbites, the dock’s new festival showcasing some of Liverpool’s finest musical talents along with al fresco food and drink offerings from the cafes, restaurants and bars, taking place across the bank holiday weekend from Saturday 24th - Monday 26th August. 


Headlining the Saturday is Liverpool soulful indie five-piece CASINO, who have been busy on the road supporting The Zutons on tour and playing a host of major summer festivals. Their unique style is a contemporary, modern take on northern soul and funk, and provides the perfect soundtrack to a summer Saturday.


The dock has a special guest visiting on the Sunday, with the arrival of festival favourite and huge Glastonbury 2024 hit, the Disco Turtle. This fully illuminated spectacle is an impressive  8m long and 3m high with a wing span of 5.5m, complete with a built-in DJ booth on its back, making it a must-see on bank holiday Sunday.


With an eye-catching, colourful pattern covering its huge shell and bobbing mechanical head, the Disco Turtle is hard to miss. Catch the Turtle and its DJ who will be playing uplifting disco classics from 2-2.30pm, 5-6pm and 8-8.30pm.


At the end of the month, the dock is celebrating ‘The Last Days of Summer’ with a new, free family festival in partnership with Liverpool BID Company on Saturday 31st August from 11am-5pm. 


The festival will take place across four key areas across the waterfront, each offering its own form of entertainment, including live music at the Latin Corner with Revolucion de Cuba, tote bag printing with The Nest, and live music and performances from the likes of Dizzie Brascals, a roaming five-piece brass band playing funky songs.


Whether it’s to soak up some music, enjoy dockside dining in the sunshine or take a memorable selfie with the Disco Turtle, Festival of Summer is set to transform the waterfront and is the place to be this August. 


For more information about Royal Albert Dock, please visit: albertdock.com/festival-of-summer-24/

 

The full programme has been revealed:

From 2pm, three micro stages will pop up across the estate this bank holiday Saturday and Sunday with visitors able to hear feel-good tunes in Mermaid Courtyard, Britannia Courtyard and in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Building. 

Enjoy performances from headliners, Casino (@casino_band_) at 2:30pm and 4:30pm on Saturday and the Disco Turtle (@emergencyexitartists) at 2-2.30pm, 5-6pm and 8-8.30pm on Sunday, alongside some of the most talented artists based in Merseyside - all for free. Main stage sets include Irish soul and roll roots duo, Seafoam Green (@seafoamgreenhq) and local indie band, Ambedo Blue (@ambedo_blue), with appearances around the dock from:

  • Caitlyn Eve - @caitlyneve__
  • BITE - @bite_liverpool
  • So, Reverie - @so__reverie
  • Permanent (Joy) - @permanentjoyband
  • GONDOLAS - @gondolas_band
  • Seprona - @sepronamusic
  • Ali Horn - @alihornmusic
  • Fiona Lennon - @fionalennonmusic
  • Paul Crowe - @mrpaulcrowe
  • Hannah Weedall - @hannahweedall


Those after something to eat can visit the dock’s cafes, bars and restaurants, with a selection of venues serving delicious bites and drinks in true al fresco fashion from outdoor stalls. Savour cocktails and food sampling at Revolucion de Cuba, an outdoor bar at The Pumphouse, vodka cocktails at Revolution, bubble tea at Rosa’s Thai, a falafel stand at Maray, a cannoli cart at Francie’s and more, plus a special food and drink-themed homeware cart at The Nest.