Mathew Street Festival fans urged to buy Band Together £3 wristbands to help fund event
Banding together for the Mathew Street festivalMUSIC fans were last night urged to “Band Together” to help fund the annual Mathew Street festival.
The festival will remain free – but music fans are being asked to show their support by buying a £3 wristband to help finance the event.
The black and gold bands give festival-goers discounts at city retailers, bars and restaurants on August 28 and 29 – when 200,000 music fans are expected to descend on the city centre.
The two-day festival costs £750,000 to stage and city taxpayers will pick up the majority of the bill.
But the cash-strapped city council must cut £50m from its budget next year, and needs festival-goers to show how much they value the event by dipping into their pockets.
The Cavern has already shown its support by buying 1,000 bands to hand out to visitors.
Head of international and commercial relations at the council, Neil Peterson, said: “The city council has been looking at a number of ways of trying to increase funding to help support the festival. We have got sponsorship for all the stages, and pubs have been invited to contribute as well.
“And we thought it would be a good idea to get a contribution from the public. But we wanted to do it in a voluntary way and also make sure they get something back. It’s win-win really – £3 is the price of a pint.”
Dave Jones, a director at The Cavern, said the venue would be handing its wristbands to 1,000 people from across the globe descending on the city for Beatles Week, which starts the Wednesday before the festival.
He said: “We hope Band Together will raise awareness and that people will be willing to spend just £3 to support the festival. If the private sector and the public don’t back the festival, it’s going to disappear, because the council can’t sustain it like it has in the past.”
For the first time, the event will boast a VIP bar and terrace where festival-goers can relax in a marquee or party out on the terrace.
Tickets cost £25 a day and include a couple of complimentary drinks, laid-back live entertainment, invitations to the after-party, and loos without the queues.
The VIP bar and terrace enclosure will be in Victoria Street Car Park, next to the Sir Thomas Hotel.
The Band Together wristbands are on sale at www.mathewstreetfestival.org The 08 Place and the Liverpool One information centre.
See tomorrow’s Daily Post for a full list of city businesses which are offering exclusive discounts for Band Together wristband holders.
For more news from the Daily Post visit www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk
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