Sefton Council Leader Cllr Marion Atkinson declared “this is just the start!” after a hugely successful Lightport event in Southport.
Thousands of families flocked to Lord Street on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (14th-16th February 2026) as a series of unique light and sound installations turned the boulevard into a wonderful world of rainbow and vibrant colours.
It marked the beginning of a very exciting year ahead for the town with Southport’s ambitious 2026: Elegantly Eccentric cultural programme.
Sefton Council Leader Cllr Marion Atkinson said:
“Lightport has been an extraordinary event! It’s been ever better than what I hoped it would be. It was just incredible.
“What a brilliant way to start our 2026 Elegantly Eccentric cultural programme!
“I knew it was going to be spectacular. But I have been blown away by people’s reactions to it.
“I don’t think you can describe just how special it was; you just had to go in and experience it.
“The feeling you get when you see Lightport and the energy that you get from it is something else.
“It has been fabulous seeing the reactions of children’s faces; I have loved seeing the huge numbers of visitors coming into Southport; and I have been delighted seeing all the restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels in Southport town centre being so busy.
“I’m very grateful for all the support shown by so many local businesses, so many of which stayed open late and extended their opening hours specially, or created special Lightport-related events, or Lightport-themed specials on their menus.
“It has been wonderful to see so many people posting their Lightport pictures and videos across social media, really highlighting what Southport has to offer.
“I am very grateful for the huge number of positive messages of support and comments I have received from people who have thoroughly enjoyed experiencing this new event in Southport.
“Lightport has now set the bar very high for us with all the other new events coming to Southport this year!
“And that is our message – this is just the start! This sets out our ambition for the rest of the year.
“We’d love people from across the country to come back and see everything else that we have coming up this year across Sefton.
“We have more exciting new events coming to Southport this year with Cristal Palace in April, the Big Top Festival in May and Books Alive in October, in addition to The Open Golf Championship returning to Southport this July.
“That is in addition to our regular major events such as Southport Air Show, Southport Flower Show, Southport Food & Drink Festival, the British Musical Fireworks Championship and more.
“In Bootle this year we have acts including Billy Ocean, The Waterboys, Nile Rodgers & Chic and The Saw Doctors, building on the huge success of our new Salt & Tar events space.
“We can’t do all this on our own. This has been a real team effort with lots of support from Sefton Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, local businesses and others all working collaboratively to make this such a huge success.”
Upcoming Southport events include:
- Cristal Palace – 3 – 4 April 2026
World-renowned French street theatre company Transe Express brings its spectacular show Cristal Palace to Lord Street with a 15-metre-wide flying chandelier, transforming the street into an open air ballroom with live music, aerial performance and dance, a dazzling fusion of art and theatre set to be one of the year’s defining moments. More details will be announced soon.
- Big Top Festival – 2 – 3 May 2026
Big Top Festival will take over the town with the best of modern circus including shows from world renowned companies including Circa and Gandini Juggling coming to one of the artforms spiritual homes. Across open-air stages, audiences can expect breathtaking acts, live music and hands-on workshops for all ages.
- Southport Originals – Summer 2026
Throughout the summer, Southport’s much-loved calendar favourites return in style, the Southport Flower Show, Food and Drink Festival, Southport Air Show and British Musical Fireworks Championships, celebrating the town’s proud traditions while drawing visitors from across the UK. - Books Alive! – 24 – 31 October 2026
Books Alive! Is a reimagined literature festival designed for families and young readers. Running through half-term, the event will fill the town with storytelling installations, live performances and author-led workshops, turning Southport into a living storybook.
The success of the first Elegantly Eccentric experience comes as leading UK retailer Home Bargains has been confirmed as the programme’s headline sponsor.
As headline sponsor, Home Bargains support will help fund a diverse range of activity across art, culture and performance,, with a strong focus on participation and community pride.
You can find full details on the programme here.
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