FESTIVAL OF HOPE

Liverpool’s cultural quarter, Hope Street, came alive for a massive free Gospel Music and Arts festival on June 14^th 2008.

Pageant	Walk of Hope
On the Streets	Live Music

The sounds of laughter and song filled the streets as hundreds of Gospel music entertainers and artists performed during the Festival of Hope. The jam packed day kicked off with a colourful parade weaving from the Anglican Cathedral and surrounding streets to Hope Street. Church congregations throughout Merseyside joined together to create this carnival procession of flags, banners and costumes.

Helping Hope Street to live up to its name, organisers wished the festival to send out a strong message of hope and faith. To reinforce this, dignitaries and celebrities from the city joined Bishop James Jones and the two deans of the Cathedrals in their symbolic walk from either end of Hope Street. The Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr. Steven Rotherham, released doves to mark the occasion. Compere Cathy Tyson, a Liverpool born actress and voice over artist, made a moving speech about hope and holding on to hope in times of distress and despair.

Talking to UCB Radio UK’s Peter Wooding, Andrew Lancel an actor on ITV’s The Bill said “I like being involved in things when people get together…amongst all the hoorah and money in the capital of culture, it’s nice to just have a moment where people can sit down and perhaps remember what it is all about.” The actor said of the Festival of Hope 08 “Great! It’s a great vibe”.

All along the street there were street entertainers, dancers, market stalls, food stands and live performances from mini stages. Throughout the day the big names in Gospel music from around the world blasted out hits from hip-hop to blues and jazz. International artists from countries including, Norway, Poland, America, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of the Congo played with UK musicians and singers such as The Band with No Name, Love and Joy Gospel Choir, S.O., Chan and Voices in Praise.

Festival favourites, Pacific Spirit, a dance troupe made up of members from the South Pacific islands of Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand stomped out their traditional warrior dance for audiences outside the Metropolitan Cathedral.

The street party ended with two concerts, SPACE, at the Anglican Cathedral and an intimate concert at Metropolitan Cathedral hosted by BBC’s Wayne Clarke.