Crowds have enjoyed the 101st Ainsdale Summer Show as it took place over the weekend.
One of the UK’s oldest events has taken place on the Village Green in Ainsdale ever since 1922.
Families enjoyed a wide range of attractions on Saturday, with a large fairground, giant inflatables and bouncy castles, Arena events, Kids’ Zone, bungy jump, children’s entertainer Mr Stix, craft stalls, food outlets, music from Mighty FM DJs Paul taster and Trevor Ford, and more.
It had a Coronation theme, in tribute to the Coronation of King Charles III.
Horticultural displays, floral art and children’s exhibits were on show in the Ainsdale Methodist Church Hall.
It was followed on Sunday by a car boot sale in the morning and then a brand new Ainsdale Summer Show Music On The Green event during the afternoon.
Mike Byrne and the Sunrockers presented fantastic music from the 1950s and 1960s followed by a Robbie Williams Tribute with Matt Byrne. Admission on both days was free.
The event, organised by Ainsdale Horticultural Society, was made possible thanks to financial support from local firms.
Ainsdale Horticultural Society Chairman Janet Greenwood said: “A massive thank you to all our amazing volunteers.
“We’ve had a great weekend and hope everyone who came along did. See you next year!”
The 101st Ainsdale Show was officially opened by Southport MP Damien Moore.
He said: “It was an absolute privilege to be invited to officially open the 101st Ainsdale Show.
“The Show is a very special part of Southport’s heritage because of its amazing longevity and the role it plays in bringing the local community together.
“I would like to thank the members of the organising committee who work so hard throughout the year to stage this impressive event, to the sponsors including the Financial Planning Corporation, Silcock Leisure Group, Chapelhouse Motor Group and others whose financial support is so important, to all the exhibitors, and to everyone who attended.
“The occasion was filled with community spirit. It was good to see so many local people, local organisations and local businesses represented.
“There were some incredible exhibits and displays, created by talented people of all ages.
“The 101st Ainsdale Show was a great family day out for everyone and I enjoyed seeing so many people coming to enjoy the day despite the weather not being so great on Saturday.
“I am looking forward to seeing how the Ainsdale Show develops next year.”
The Financial Planning Corporation, which is based in Ainsdale Village, was delighted to be the headline sponsor of the 2023 Ainsdale Summer Show.
Moira O’Shaughnessy, the Managing Partner at the Financial Planning Corporation, said: “We wanted to support the Ainsdale Show as it is our way of saying thank you to the Village.
“Ainsdale is a fantastic place to be. The shops and the bars are really flourishing, it is great to see so much investment in the area.
“We were delighted to be able to provide £2,000 to Ainsdale Horticultural Society, the organisers, to become the headline sponsors for this year’s Ainsdale Show.”
Silcock Leisure Group presented a £1,000 sponsorship to support the event.
Operations Manager Serena Silcock-Prince said: “We already support Ainsdale In Bloom.
“When local community champion Brenda Porter approached us and asked if we would like to support this year’s Ainsdale Show, we were delighted to do so.
“This was the 101st Ainsdale Show that has taken place. This event is a huge part of Southport’s heritage and deserves to be saved for the community to continue to enjoy.
“The fact that the organisers made it free to attend this year meant that families impacted by the Cost Of Living Crisis wouldn’t have to worry about having to pay to come and enjoy it.
“The organisers have really suffered as a result of rising costs and we wanted to do what we could to help them.”
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