Feeding the 5,000
Fancy meeting for lunch?
This Sunday (19 July), the city's biggest ever tea party will be held in Toxteth - and everyone is invited.
The 'Big, Big L8 Lunch' is a celebration of Toxteth's diversity, with the aim of developing a stronger community by bringing together neighbours to enjoy and experience this unique event.
From 12-5pm Princes Boulevard will be taken over by more than 80 stalls selling items such as hand-crafted jewellery, candles and recycled bags. There will also be a retro fashion show starring local residents, performance art, storytelling, Tai Chi, choirs, bands, buskers and even donkey rides.
More than 5,000 people are expected to take part, making the most of the opportunity to share food and break bread with neighbours.
Sustainability is one of the main themes of the day and people are invited to bring along and share food they've grown.
Liverpool city council's executive member for the environment, Councillor Berni Turner, said: "This is a fantastic event which is not only a celebration of community, but it's also the perfect way to mark Liverpool's Year of the Environment."
One group who will be bringing along some home-grown goods are residents from Hector Peterson Court, sheltered housing accommodation for older people, who for the past few months have been growing fruit and vegetables including strawberries, goji berries, sweet potatoes, chillies and onions.
They have developed their very own version of Bombay Mix, renamed Toxteth Mix, which will be handed out for everyone to taste. The group have also been working with 'mixologists' and on the day will be creating a Toxteth fruit cocktail - Toxteth Rocks - which people will be able to sample.
The day has been organised by Arts in Regeneration (AiR) who aim to bring communities and arts together. Director of AiR, Denise Finch, said: "Last year we hosted 'The Gathering' which was extremely popular and made great strides in bringing the community together, but this year we want to host the biggest lunch party ever.
"We want people to bring their friends, families, neighbours, spare chairs, food to share, table decorations and flowers - anything that will make this a memorable day for everyone.
"A huge amount of work has already gone into this event and it will be really rewarding to see the result of everyone's efforts, whether it be food they've grown or clothes or furniture they've made."
Sunday's Big, Big L8 Lunch will also feature Toxteth Tales - a series of short films based on the stories of local people - which will be premiered at the event thanks to funding from North West Vision and Media and archive footage from North West Film Archive.
The Big Lunch is one of the final innovative projects taking place as part of the 2009 Four Corners Programme which links residents, cultural organisations, artists and the city council's neighbourhood services team to explore the question "what does the environment mean to you and your neighbourhood?"
The Four Corners project culminates in a fantastic free exhibition at the Bluecoat from the 22-29 July.
Councillor Turner added: "The Big, Big L8 Lunch is one of the final Four Corners projects and it's fitting that it will be such a huge celebration of community and sustainability.
"I urge as many people as possible to take part, brining along a picnic made up of food they have grown, and as a result show their support for the community and for the Year of the Environment."
Air has also worked in partnership with the city council's South Central neighbourhood team, Culture Liverpool and the Eden Project.
Princes Road, Princes Avenue and Selbourne Road will all be closed to traffic on Sunday.
