The first garden festival to be held in Britain, International Garden Festival was one of the biggest Liverpool events. Held in 1984, the festival consisted of gardens, a Festival Hall, a pub a small train and a celebrity walk. The venue, at south docks in Liverpool, was later transformed into a residential area.
The Festival At a Glance
The International Garden Festival was a major event that was held in Liverpool in 1984. The festival was the first of its kind in UK and attracted a large number of visitors from across the world. It was a spectacular event based on horticulture and consisted of a five month program from 4th May to 14th October. With 29 countries participating in the festival, it was one of the biggest events that Britain has witnessed till now.
Event Highlights
Featuring 60 gardens, public pavilions, a Festival Hall and a small train that went around the location where the festival was held, International Garden Festival of Liverpool was a grand success. There were a total of about 3,380,000 visitors to the festival. The visitors included local residents of Liverpool, people from Britain and tourists from all over the world.
The festival was visited by famous personalities of Liverpool like Ken Dodd, Cilla Black and Nerys Hughes. There was a Pathway of Honor to welcome these special guests.
Festival was the coming of 'Tall Ships' from 1st August till the 14th.
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Among the highlights of the International Garden
The Venue
The venue of International Garden Festival covered 95 hectares of land in the south dock area, an old and dilapidated part of Liverpool. Almost the entire site had to be cleared and renovated before the International Garden Festival begun.
Since the time the festival took place, the region has been developed into a residential area with a large number of houses. Efforts are being made to restore many of the gardens that were formed during the festivals.
Significance of the Festival
The tourism industry in Liverpool was at low ebb in the 1980s. The International Garden Festival gave a boost to tourism and helped Liverpool make a comeback to the tourism arena. During the festival Liverpool was visited by thousands of tourists. The International Garden Festival in Liverpool therefore provided a major impetus to the tourism of the city.
Also, the International Garden Festival was the first garden festival in Britain and it influenced many such festivals which were held in the subsequent years.
One of the biggest events in Liverpool, the International Garden Festival is still remembered because of its international status, its theme, the large number of tourists it attracted and the role it played in the cultural life of Liverpool.
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