PRESCOT’S Elizabethan Fayre is back for 2022 and this year it has been expanded to mark the upcoming opening of the Shakespeare North theatre.
To celebrate Knowsley’s year as the city region’s borough of culture, and that the Shakespeare North Playhouse will open in Prescot in July, the Fayre has been extended to two days, with a wider range of attractions and performances added to the programme.
The Fayre will be funded through the High Streets Heritage Action Zone Cultural Programme Grant, which was awarded to the Prescot Cultural Consortium in 2020.
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Taking place on Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8, the free festival will celebrate the rich Elizabethan heritage of Prescot – which of course in Elizabethan times was the only place in the whole of the country, aside from London, to have a free-standing purpose-built theatre.
Prescot’s Elizabethan story is quite remarkable and the Fayre has become a highlight in the area’s event calendar and this year, with more on offer this year.
The town will be a hub of activity with high-quality, outdoor dance and theatre performances, circus skills, heritage walks, birds of prey, face painting, craft workshops and more. Visitors will also be able to get involved with the creation of a unique miniature cardboard replica of Prescot town centre.
On Saturday the Fayre will celebrate all things regal with visitors making their own crowns, ruffs and hearts. Prescot will be graced with a visit from ‘Elizabeth I’ herself and many court jesters who will perform and impress the locals. There will be workshops, stalls, and opportunities to share stories with our ‘Story Catcher Crew.’
Sunday will bring high quality performances of dance, theatre, storytelling & more. With a contemporary twist, the Fayre will celebrate everything from the Elizabethan era right up to the present day. Local Primary Schools, dance groups, and artists will showcase their work and the weekend will close with a Street Party for all!
There will also be performances of a newly commissioned ‘Song for Prescot’ by Evelyn Community Primary and St. Mary’s & St. Paul’s C E Primary.
Laura Collier, creative director and programmer at Shakespeare North Playhouse and chair of the Prescot Cultural Consortium, said: “This year is a very special one for Prescot and as part of this the Elizabethan Fayre will bigger and more ambitious than ever.
"We hope the event will commemorate and celebrate lots of the wonderful history that makes the town so special but will also provide a really fun and contemporary experience for visitors of all ages.
"For the first time, this will be a two-day event, welcoming local and national artists, with live performances, workshops, stalls and other attractions the weekend long Fayre will bring the whole town centre to life with lots of involvement from the community, businesses and more.
“It’s a weekend not to be missed in Prescot!”
The Prescot Elizabethan Fayre will take place on: Saturday, May 7 11am – 7pm and Sunday, May 8 11am-4pm along Eccleston Street and outside Prescot Parish Church
It is free to attend and you can view the full programme of activity here.
Prescot Cultural Consortium
Plans for the Elizabethan Fayre – which is a key highlight in Knowsley’s year as the Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture – have been developed by the Prescot Cultural Consortium which is chaired by Shakespeare North Playhouse and representatives from Prescot Business Club, Knowsley Community Curators, Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts, Prescot Parish Church, Jan Williams Theatre School, Imaginarium Theatre, Prescot Museum, Knowsley Council and Act for Action. Producer, Claire Bigley, has led on the plans with the Cultural Consortium.
The Cultural Consortium was set up by Knowsley Council as part of the £3.1 million Prescot High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme, and the HSHAZ’s Cultural Programme, which is led by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Cultural Programme aims to make the country’s high streets more attractive, engaging and vibrant places for people to live, work and spend time.
The enhanced Elizabethan Fayre is being funded via the HSHAZ Cultural Programme Local Grant under which Knowsley Council were awarded £80,000 in 2020, on behalf on the Prescot Cultural Consortium.
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