How Liverpool will bid a fond farewell to 2008
A CULTURAL extravaganza is being planned for the night Liverpool bids farewell to its showcase 2008 year. It will start with a free waterfront party at the Pier Head featuring spectacular lighting, big-screen productions, and fireworks from a barge on the Mersey.
The city?s cultural institutions have joined together to hold a series of late-night openings as part of the Transition Light Night.
The special evening will be on Saturday, January 10, a year to the day the city officially launched its showcase year, and will mark the transition to 09 ? Liverpool?s Year of the Environment.
Last night, Liverpool Council leader Cllr Warren Bradley said: ?What better way to celebrate the city?s transition from 08 than to begin with a party at the waterfront where so much of this city?s story began.?
An hour-long ?People?s Celebration? at the Pier Head will start at 6pm and use the ?100m of regeneration projects at the waterfront location as a theme.
The gigantic waterfront window of the new Museum of Liverpool, currently under construction, will be used as a 27ft by 80ft cinema screen.
A film review of Capital of Culture year will be shown, with smaller screens also being placed on the new Mersey Ferry terminal, also under construction, and the Echo Arena.
There will also be a lantern installation on the new Leeds-Liverpool Canal link, an arts and crafts market at Mann Island and drum and dance performances.
A ceremonial handover to the cities of Linz, in Austria, and Vilnius, in Lithuania ? the European Capitals of Culture for 2009 ? will take place.
And representatives from London Olympics 2012 will be present to launch Britain?s Cultural Olympiad.
Before the firework finale, it is hoped there will be a mass singalong on the city?s adopted anthem to the year, All Together Now.
The Culture Company is encouraging people to visit one of the city?s cultural attractions, which have agreed to open late into the evening.
Cllr Bradley said: ?2008 was a life- changing year for this city and we want to say thank you to everyone who played their part ? and in Liverpool?s case that means everyone.?
Phil Redmond, the Culture Company creative director, said: ?To have so many cultural partners involved in the Transition Light Night is a powerful demonstration that the team spirit that made last year so successful is continuing, as we make the transition from our year as Europe?s best ever Cultural Capital to the next stage in the city?s renaissance.?
The Strand will be closed from 4pm to 8pm, with visitors being encouraged to use public transport.
davidbartlett LDP
Have you got the right time please
One of the fingers on the clocks is faster than the other, or slower :ninja: