A wine festival, a beer expo and a visit from the Doctor (Well, that escalated quickly)
An extra bank holiday and more drinking time in the pubs. You'd almost think the rulers of this country were trying to butter us up. A weekend of festivities has been planned to allow the nation to celebrate the Queen's 70-year reign. But aside from all that flag-waving there's loads of good stuff happening over the extended four-day weekend, including Taste Liverpool - Drink Bordeaux, an art exhibition in the Baltic, and Globe on Tour at Calderstones Park.
The fun doesn't stop there and we've got a bumper month of festivals planned too, including the return of Africa Oye, Bootle Music Festival and the Craft Beer Expo.
Read on for our top picks of things to do in Liverpool in June...
TASTE LIVERPOOL, DRINK BORDEAUX | VARIOUS VENUES | 2 - 5 JUNE
Over 50 independent restaurants, bars, food-halls, cafes and coffee shops are joining in for the “most delicious weekend of the year.” Six themed menus are on offer around the city, from menu extraordinaire, to barista flair, and every budget inbetween. There are free chef demos at St Luke’s “Bombed Out” Church, a producer’s market in Derby Square and acoustic music sets around the city. Martins Bank hosts several key events with food from The Art School and an abundance of Bordeaux wine at the Bordeaux Bar A Vin; a brasserie menu will run on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. There’s also a ticketed event at the Town Hall - the Bordeaux Wine Experience - which includes some wine tasting and a wine masterclass. Wine not? We’ve got grape expectations for this one.
Read more: Bordeaux festival can put Liverpool on the map as a global food city
For all festival events and participating venues head to Visit Liverpool.
DOCTOR WHO - WORLDS OF WONDER | WORLD MUSEUM | UNTIL 3 OCTOBER
This new exhibition promises to plunge Doctor Who fans of all ages into a scientific universe to explore the longest running science fiction show in the world. Through a range of hands-on immersive experiences and interactive content, visitors can journey through Cosmic Curiosities, visit the Monster Vault, and discover more about the time travelling Police Box in the TARDIS Tech room. The blockbuster exhibition will include contributions from stars across the fields of science and entertainment.
Read more: To the TARDIS! Doctor Who lands in Liverpool
William Brown St, Liverpool L3 8EN (Tickets £8/£14/£16 or free for members. More info and booking at National Museums Liverpool)
LIVERPOOL 4 UKRAINE | BALTIC TRIANGLE | UNTIL 18 JUNE
92 Degrees coffee, Chapters of Us, Baltic Social, Black Lodge Brewery, Elevator Studios, SEVENSTORE and Space by Liquid are exhibiting works of some of Ukraine’s best creatives to raise funds for the artists. Local design studio Kula, photographer Jon Turton and Baltic Triangle area partnership director Jake Nolan have been working to bring some of the best works from Ukraine over to Liverpool to fundraise through a QR code scan on each image that will offer the chance to purchase a print of each image. Funds raised will be split between artists and a Ukraine charity: savelife.in.ua
Various venues, free entry. More info from Liverpool4Ukraine
THE TUDORS: PASSION POWER & POLITICS | WALKER ART GALLERY | UNTIL 29 AUGUST
Exploring the fascinating politics, powerful family connections and unique culture of the most famous royals in history. The exhibition presents the five Tudor monarchs: Henry VII; Henry VIII; Edward VI; Mary I; and Elizabeth I. Together, they represent some of the most familiar figures from English history. Their instantly recognisable portraits – among the most famous in the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection – have preserved their likenesses for 500 years.
William Brown St, Liverpool L3 8EL (Tickets start at £13 from National Museums Liverpool)
JULIUS CAESAR | CALDERSTONES PARK | 3-4 JUNE
The Mansion House in Calderstones Park, home of national charity The Reader, will play host to three outdoor performances from Shakespeare’s Globe. “Globe on Tour” will bring to life Shakespeare’s political thriller with an open-air production of Julius Caesar in The Reader’s art deco Garden Theatre, performed against the backdrop of Calderstones Park. All performances will have a relaxed atmosphere, with ticket holders asked to bring along their own deck chairs, blankets and cushions.
Calderstones Rd, Liverpool L18 3JB (Tickets £16, concessions available. Add a picnic box for two for an extra £15.95. Book online at The Reader)
SAM AVERY | EPSTEIN THEATRE | WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE
In this side-splitting new stand-up show, Sam explores what it means to be a role model in modern Britain, how the people he looked up to shaped his world, and how the struggle to help his kids find their moral compass often causes him to misplace his own. Can you be a role model on four hours sleep? Can you mentor someone who thinks you’re a moron? And how do you change the world if you can’t even clean your kitchen?
Hanover House, 85 Hanover St, Liverpool L1 3DZ (7.30pm, tickets £20.80 from The Epstein Theatre)
DUNSTAN BRUCE | THE BRINDLEY | FRIDAY 10 JUNE
Dunstan Bruce, ex-frontman with chart-topping band Chumbawamba, performs his new one-hour play; a roller-coaster of despair, anger, love and ultimately hope. Join him on this riotous journey that will resonate with anyone who once thought they could change the world, and is still determined to get back up again. Am I Invisible Yet? is no cosy fireside chat reminiscing about his Tubthumping past - it's a vital blast of angst, anger and despair. It is Theatre du Coeur, a love letter to hope, humanity and the haphazard heart.
High St, Runcorn WA7 1BG (7.30pm, tickets £17/£15 from The Brindley)
SNATCHED - MELISSA JOHNS | UNITY THEATRE | THURSDAY 16 JUNE
In 2018, disabled actor, Melissa Johns’ iCloud was hacked and explicit photos of her were released online. A young disabled woman with a history of body dysmorphia comes to terms with her body becoming public property. This humorous and revealing show displays no remorse in championing female sexuality, fighting body shaming and the taboo of sex and disability.
1 Hope Pl, Liverpool L1 9BG (7.30pm, tickets £6-£14 from The Unity)
CRAFT BEER EXPO | BLACK LODGE BREWERY | 16-18 JUNE
Showcasing the best of world beer with over 100 different beers from over 30 breweries. An inclusive festival atmosphere, for beer newcomers and aficionados alike. There will also be gin, cider and cocktail bars for those who like an alternative to beer. Food traders include Bundobust (boss veggie Indian street food), Chip’d (Dutch Style Chips), Dough Bros (Neapolitan pizza), Fatback (smash burgers) and Root (small plates).
Read more: Craft Beer Expo brings booze, music and sun (hopefully)
3 Kings Dock St, Liverpool L1 8JU (For tickets visit the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo website)
BOOTLE MUSIC FESTIVAL | LOCK & QUAY | 17-18 JUNE
Liverpool’s only community microbrew pub presents this two day festival in the grounds of the Lock & Quay pub, with headliners Glenn Tilbrook, Nick Harper, The Christians and Xander & the Peace Pirates.
Read more: People not profit: inside Liverpool's only community microbrew pub
2 Irlam Rd, Liverpool, Bootle L20 4AH (Tickets from £16.75 - under 16s go free - at Skiddle)
AFRICA OYE | SEFTON PARK | 18-19 JUNE
A Grammy Award-winning Malian musician, an Afrobeats pioneer, and a reggae legend will headline The Africa Oyé Festival this summer for its 30th anniversary. One of the region’s most beautiful green spaces will once again be filled with the music and culture of Africa, the Caribbean and the diaspora, for two free days of live music, DJs and dance, as well as workshops, food stalls and a range of traders in the Oyé Village. Line-up includes Oumou Sangare, Fuse ODG, Eek-a-Mouse, Tabanka Djaz, Santrofi, and many more.
Sefton Park, Liverpool L17. Free entry, open 12:30pm to 9:30pm both days.
FILM: 'PRIDE' | BRITISH MUSIC EXPERIENCE | THURSDAY 23 JUNE
For Pride month, join the BME for a special screening of the 2014 comedy-drama based on a true story. Accompanied by a stunning soundtrack from 1984, including songs by Soft Cell, Pet Shop Boys, Bronski Beat, Culture Club and Frankie.
Cunard Building, Liverpool L3 1DS (7pm, tickets £6.50/£8 from the BME)
RADICAL LANDSCAPES | TATE LIVERPOOL | UNTIL 4 SEPTEMBER
Featuring over 150 works including Ruth Ewan’s Back to the Fields 2015, an installation of live plants, and Jeremy Deller’s green neon Cerne Abbas sculpture, this show expands on the traditional, picturesque portrayals of the landscape, presenting art that reflects the diversity of Britain’s landscape and communities. The show also considers the human impact on the landscape and ecosystems by featuring works that reflect on the climate emergency, such as Gustav Metzger’s dazzling Liquid Crystal Environment 1965/2005.
Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, Liverpool L3 4BB (Adults £13.50, advance tickets from Tate Liverpool)
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS | LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE | 29 JUNE - 16 JULY
In 2011 writer Richard Bean took an old Italian comedy and turned it into One Man, Two Guvnors which became a global hit with the National Theatre. Set in 1963, the play follows the antics of Francis Henshall who has just been fired from his skiffle band. In search of food and romance, he soon finds himself juggling not one but two new jobs. All Francis needs to do is keep his two guvnors apart. What could possibly go wrong? A feel-good, fast-paced knockabout farce.
Williamson Square, Liverpool L1 1EL (Tickets priced £10-£35 from www.everymanplayhouse.com)
READ NEXT: Liverpool's top eating out offers: June 2022
READ AGAIN: 'A gastronomic global walkabout on the top floor of a shopping centre' - GPO, reviewed
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