People are invited to explore the magic and the mystery of Italy with a special Venetian Carnival in Southport.
The vibrant and fun event will be held at Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street in Southport between 12pm and 5pm on Saturday, 1st March 2025. Admission is free.
Prepare to be entertained by Venetian clowns; make Venetian masks; taste Italian food and drinks; be serenaded by classical music; and end the occasion in style with a Masked Venetian Ball.
This event is among the regular ‘Creative Village’ events due to take place with the ambition of welcoming more visitors, bringing a new vibrancy into the arcade and attracting potential new traders.
The ‘Carnevale di Venezia’ is being organised by Wayfarers with the support of the family-owned Volare restaurant on Lord Street.
Volare Head Chef Jason Maimone will be making frittelli, delicious Italian doughnuts, in a variety of flavours.
People will be able to enjoy drinks and cocktails including Italian bellinis.
During daytime, visitors will be able to enjoy an artisan market inside Wayfarers.
The market will be selling goods from within the arcade as well as authentic Italian food, drink and produce provided by Volare.
Duo Rose will be performing baroque classical music for people to enjoy between 12pm and 4pm.
Clowns from New Heritage Performance will be appearing as Venetian-inspired retail clowns between 12pm and 4pm, mocking the growth of online shopping and its impact on society in an amusing and engaging way.
Inside The Engine Room, on the first floor, children and adults will be able to make their own Venetian masks to wear on the day and take home.
They can also complete colouring sheets, as well as making the most of the LEGO station.
Children have been loving coming face to face with Spectrum the bear inside the arcade, one of 10 bears situated throughout Southport town centre inspired by the We’re Going On A Bear Hunt children’s book and provided by Southport BID and Sefton Council.
At night, the arcade will come alive with a special Masked Venetian Ball inside The Engine Room, with tickets on sale just £10 in advance, or £15 on the door. The suggested dress is black tie.
Doors for the Venetian Ball will open at 6pm with the New Orleans Jazz Band playing from 7pm until 10pm.
Local artists inside Wayfarers including David Booth, Grant Searl, Ruth Ryder and Emmeline McLoughlin will be designing their own Venetian masks for people to bid for in a silent auction.
All money raised will be donated towards fixing the damaged lights on the Venetian Bridge over the Marine Lake in Southport.
Dr. Eric Lybeck from Wayfarers Arcade said:
“This will be an event unlike anything Southport has seen – something a little surreal, a little theatrical, and entirely in keeping with the historic grandeur of Wayfarers Arcade.
“We’re delighted to be working with Volare for this, not just because we enjoy collaborating with local businesses, but because Venice itself was built on trade, culture, and spectacle – things that once defined Southport, too.
“Our Venetian clowns will be out and about, playfully reminding us of the absurdity of modern shopping habits – because, really, is there anything stranger than browsing for luxury goods on a phone while standing in a place designed for elegance and conviviality?
“Throughout the day, classical music will fill the arcade, people can shop at market stalls, our range of resident shops in the arcade, and, in The Engine Room, visitors can craft their own Venetian masks – because what is a Renaissance without a little reinvention?
“In the evening, we’ll host our Masked Venetian Ball, an event that resonates with the splendour of Wayfarers itself. The Renaissance ideal was always about elevating the everyday into something extraordinary – la dolce vita, but with depth.
“Our silent auction will feature Venetian masks created by local artists, celebrating craft and creativity – because beauty should be supported, not just admired. And, of course, we all want to see the lights return to the Venetian Bridge. What is a bridge, after all, if not a symbol of connection?”
The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival held in Venice, Italy, famous throughout the world for its elaborate costumes and masks.
The Carnival traditionally ends on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso or Mardi Gras), which is the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
The Carnival traces its origins to the Middle Ages, existing for several centuries until it was abolished in 1797. The tradition was revived in 1979, and the modern event now attracts approximately 3 million visitors annually.
Further Creative Village events will take at Wayfarers Arcade this year, including:
29th March – Flower Festival
3rd May – May Day
31st May – Global Village
28th June – Kupala Night
2nd August – Lughnasadh
30th August – Michaelmas
27th September – Beer Street at the Rushbearing Festival
31st October & 1st November – Halloween / Samhain
27th November – Lancashire Day, and the launch of the Christmas Market until 28th December.
Existing tenants will be at the forefront, invited to display what they have to offer as part of the fairs.
The events are a fabulous opportunity for other businesses which may want to come in and sell their goods and gauge for themselves whether Wayfarers Arcade would be a good long-term fit for them.
Dr Lybeck said: “We want our new Creative Village events to spark an explosion of interest in what people and businesses can enjoy at Wayfarers Arcade this year.
“If you’re interested in getting involved, or would like more information, please get in touch, or call into The Engine Room for a coffee. We would love to hear from you.”
For more details visit: civedcic@gmail.com or visit: www.wayfarersarcade.co.uk
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