LIVERPOOL'S Waterfront Weekend from 3-5 September will officially celebrate the city's new status as a World Heritage city in a stunning three-day event at the Pier Head.

The festival will feature top classical, pop and comedy acts on stage in front of a specially constructed 5,000 seat arena.

The Waterfront Classics, Waterfront Rock and Waterfront Comedy nights build on the success of last year's Waterfront Classics concert, attended by 4,500 people.

The first event, Waterfront Classics on Friday 3 September, is a spectacular classical musical concert in association with Class FM, performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

The RLPO will perform Mussorgsky's 'A Night on Bare Mountain', Copland's 'Fanfare for the Common Man', Wagner's 'Tannhauser Overture', Bernstein's 'On The Town', Debussy's 'Dialogue du vent et de la mer' and Grofe's 'Sunrise' from the 'Grand Canyon Suite'.

The RLPO will also be joined on stage by Marc Almond and The Farm, who will be accompanied by SFX Boys Choir Liverpool. The concert also features Liverpool's very own Young Musician of the Year, Thomas Osborne. And the star packed evening will be a visual treat with a large scale projected light and laser show and a spectacular fireworks display.

On Saturday 4 September, Waterfront Rock, a pop music concert, will be performed in association with Radio City 96.7, to mark the station's 30th birthday. The line up includes Rachel Stevens, Darius, Ultrabeat, Blazin' Squad and Big Brovaz, with more acts to be confirmed.

And on Sunday 5 September the Pier Head will be rocking with laughter during the Waterfront Comedy Night. Two of the country's most popular acts, Jo Brand and Julian Clary, take to the stage for a night of comedy that has never been seen before, organised in association with the Rawhide Comedy Club.

Tickets for the events are available from the Piccadilly box office on 0870 881 5544 or via the website at www.ticketline.co.uk