North West In Bloom 2012

I felt very proud today when I was presented with the North West In Bloom Gold Medal Award in the Best Small Accommodation Catergory.

North West In Bloom 2012

So looking forward to tomorrow, I am attending the Northwest In Bloom awards at The Floral Hall Southport. I have been told I am receiving an award.. it should be a really nice day with a three course lunch included.

Pumpkin Fun!

A giant weekend of pumpkin fun!

1. 
   
   Next weekend's 2012 Mere Brow Giant Pumpkin competition marks the 18th year of one of the quirkiest competitions in west Lancashire.
   
   And as always, it'll be another fantastic day, raising as much money as possible for charity.
   
   The weigh in will be held at 1pm on Saturday 20 October at the Windmill Animal Farm Fish Lane, Burscough, with two separate competitions:
   
   *The NFU MUTUAL INSURANCE ALL ENGLAND SHIELD - a competition open to anybody. 1st Prize £50
   
   *The MERE BROW & DISTRICT SHIELD - open to local residents within a 10 mile radius of Mere Brow. 1st Prize £50 ~ 2nd Prize £30 ~ 3rd Prize £20
   
   Entries in the Mere Brow & District Shield are also included in the NFU Mutual Insurance All England Shield.
   
   Legendary DJ Dave Turley - 'Mr Giant Pumpkin' himself - will be MC and there are a great variety of pumpkin related games, donkey rides, beat the buzzer, etc. with food and soft drinks available.
   
   All are welcome, says organiser Trevor Wilson, who added: "The Mere Brow Giant Pumpkin Competition is a unique family day out in the countryside.
   
   "The venue for the 18th competition is the excellent Windmill Animal Farm, which adds to the 'family feel' the event creates.
   
   "We attract competitors and spectators from all over the North West and we expect this year to be no exception.

Southport Comedy Festival 2012

Local People Keep Southport Smiling Again In 2012

1.  

   
   
   
   When council funding was withdrawn for the annual Southport Comedy Festival in 2011, local comedian Brendan Riley stepped in. Brendan was determined that a popular event which benefitted the community by bringing fun and laughter to the resort should continue, particularly at a time of cutbacks and austerity.
   
   After 9 months of planning, sweat and tears (of laughter!) Brendan had pulled off a comedy festival that Southport could be proud of.
   
   Now the people’s Southport Comedy Festival is back. Local business sponsors are working with Brendan to provide ten days of laughter based around venues across this classic seaside town.
   
   The festival kicks off on the 18th October in the town’s Wayfarers Arcade, a stunning Victorian shopping plaza, with a comedy cook-off. A children's cartoon event with renowned local cartoonist Paul Hardman will be held at Wayfarers Arcade on Sunday 21stas part of the Children’s Comedy Festival.
   
   Kids again have been catered for with their own Family Laughter Party at Giggles Gym Birkdale, this will be held on Saturday 27th October and will be raisng funds for children’s charity Stick ‘N’ Step.
   
   The festival continues with shows taking place every evening in the town’s range of intimate comedy venues showcasing comedy talent from across the globe. Festival highlights include the revamped ‘End of the Pier’shows; the landmark Southport pier hosts two of the quirkiest comedy shows of the festival. The fun begins on the ride out to the end of the pier as the audience board the famous pier tram. These are shows not to be missed!
   
   The major hotel in the resort, the Ramada Plaza, is hosting three headline shows as part of their Comedy Festival Specials. Featuring TV stars Jo Caulfield, Tom Stade and the born again Roy Walker, to name but three, these shows will guarantee laughs but this time close-up and personal.
   
   And if that wasn’t enough, the Southport Comedy Festival New Comedian of the Year competition is running alongside the festival to find the talent that will keep Southport smiling for many years to come.
   
   For further information please contact Brendan Riley, Festival Director.
   
   Mob 07770 591625
   brenriley@blueyonder.co.uk
   www.southportcomedyfestival.com

Fireworks Spectacular 2012

 

 

This weekend, Fri 28th to Sun 30th, Southport's sky bursts into light as the only national firework competition choreographed to music returns.

Entertaining the audience over three nights in Kings Gardens, watch as some of the country's top pyrotechnic teams compete with stunning firework displays to try and win the prestigious industry title of UK Champions.

This year's pyrotechnic companies firing at the championships are G Force Fireworks, Saltire Fireworks, Komodo Fireworks, Highlight Pyrotechnics, Britannia Fireworks, Phenomenal Fireworks and Celebration Displays.

Rotten Row Flower Donation

Rotten Row grateful for flower show donation

 

SOUTHPORT’S historic Rotten Row has had a welcome injection of colour courtesy of Southport Flower Show.

Flowers and plants that were featured in the recent Coronation Street display at this year’s show have been donated to the Friends of Rotten Row as a thank you for their help in brightening up the town.
The Coronation Street- themed garden was one of the star attractions at last month’s event which brought more than 80,000 visitors to Southport.

Created by award-winning designer Chris Ashcroft, the garden featured a Rovers Return pergola and the famous chimney pots seen in the popular soap opera’s opening credits since 1960.

“It is an incredibly generous donation,” said chairman of Friends of Rotten Row, Jack Colley.
“David Jackson, the chief executive of the flower show, approached us with the offer of about 400 hardy perennials which are worth between £1,500-£2,000.

“They have all now been planted and will live on forever as we will be able to take cuttings.”
Volunteers are being sought to join The Friends of Rotten Row and help with maintaining the resplendent Row to its former glory

A Special Goodbye!

An ocean's eleven sail into City

1. Liverpool's Albert Dock will be home to a small fleet of magnificent vessels this week.
   
   Eleven Tall Ships of various sizes are sailing into the city as part of the inaugural Irish Sea Tall Ships Regatta which officially takes place from Friday 31 August to Sunday 2 September.
   
   Sailing into the city will be Black Diamond of Durham, Challenge Wales, De Gallant, Johanna Lucretia, Kapitan Borchardt, Maybe, Pelican of London, Prolific, St Iv, Tecla and Tomidi.
   
   To celebrate their arrival a series of events will take place from Friday when the crews of the Tall Ships will take to the streets in a colourful and vibrant parade at around 2pm, before being presented with the race and port prizes. The route will start outside the Echo Arena, travelling around Salthouse and Hartley Quays before returning to the arena.
   
   Until Sunday, many of the Tall Ships will be open to the public from 11 to 5pm, although some vessels may close during lunchtimes. Across the three days there will also be maritime merriment for the whole family ranging from shanty songs, street theatre, dancing, craft workshops, story telling, community choirs and a brass band.
   
   There will also be a fantastic display courtesy of Yakovlevs Aircraft Acrobatics, and at 2pm on both Saturday and Sunday the Russian aircrafts will perform breathtaking high-speed aerobatics. Please note, this activity is weather dependant.
   
   On Sunday, the Tall Ships will take place in a very special goodbye with a Parade of Sail starting from 10.30am. The vessels will muster in formation around 1pm as they prepare to sail on the River Mersey.