This year marks 35 years since the first ever Southport Pier Festival!
The event took place in the summer of 1990 and saw families enjoy a host of events including street theatre, live music, and a spectacular fireworks display.
People even enjoyed drive-in movies on Southport Beach – the first of their kind in Merseyside – with a big screen installed alongside Southport Pier.
Mayor of Sefton Cllr Mrs Beryl Lamont was at the festival where she met people who had brought their teddy bears along to be judged in a bear competition.
Children were entertained by Sooty and an ostrich walking along Southport Pier.
The Penistone Majorettes led a procession of teddy bears and tourists along the pier at the opening of the festival.
There was lots to enjoy for people of all ages.
The ten-day Southport Pier Festival started on July 21, 1990.
The event also coincided with the Merseyside Festival of Comedy, the Dan Dare exhibition at Southport’s Atkinson Art Gallery and International Power Boat Racing on the Marine Lake.
Do you remember the Southport Pier Festival? Do you have any memories or photos of the event? Please let us know by emailing: standupforsouthport@gmail.com
In the Southport Visiter on 3rd August 1990, reporter Alison Tarpey reported: “Southport’s first pier festival was a ‘huge success’ according to Sefton ’s tourism and attractions department — and it will now become an annual event.
“More than 15 street theatre groups took part along with jazz groups to coincide with Merseyside’s Festival of Comedy and the Radio One roadshow.
“Merseyside ‘s first ever ‘drive-in movie ’ took to the road last Friday and Saturday on the resort‘s beach with more than 200 cars turning up each evening.
“The festival came to a close with a spectacular firework display on the Marine Lake on Sunday evening.
“Jon Harris from Sefton ‘s tourism and attractions department told the Visiter: ‘We were really pleased with the way everything went. We have already had people telephoning us to find out whether the drive-in movie will be held regularly. We have started working on next year’s festival which we hope will be equally as successful’.”
Earlier this month, Southport Pier took another step towards restoration after being granted Listed Building consent for the works to take place.
Extensive plans for how work would take place were submitted by Sefton Tourism last year, having been drawn up working alongside established Southport firm RAL Architects.
They have now been officially approved by the local authority’s Planning department, with Chief Planning Officer Derek McKenzie saying in his report: “The pier is a focal point of the town, part of its identity and a significant tourist attraction”.
Having Listed Building Consent in place will now support Sefton in its ambitions to seek sufficient public funding for repairs either through the Government, or national bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
In January, over 400 members of the public, local businesses and local politicians packed into Silcock’s Pier Family Restaurant for an Open Meeting about Southport Pier, which showed the huge public support for the historic attraction to reopen.
Earlier this year, a poll of over 1,700 people on the Stand Up For Southport Facebook group showed 97% of respondents wanting Southport Pier to be restored.
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