Birkenhead Park’s anniversary celebrations continue this weekend

Wirral residents are invited to join in Birkenhead Park’s 175^th anniversary celebrations this weekend.

One of the area’s flagship parks – and widely accepted as the model upon which some of the most famous public parks around the world, including New York City’s Central Park, were based – opened on 5 April 1847.

The park kicked off its 175^th birthday celebrations this week by welcoming a number of very special visitors at a civic ceremony.

And this Sunday, everyone is welcome to come along to a special ‘Day Out in the Park’ to mark the anniversary with a number of events, attractions and opportunities to see parts of the park otherwise closed to the public.

Sign the petition to twin Birkenhead Park with New York’s Central Park

The programme for Sunday is as follows:-

• 9.30am – 4.30pm: Photography exhibition ‘Birkenhead Park: Through The Ages’ at the Visitor Centre – open every day until Friday 19 May, free of charge
• 10am – 4pm: Vintage buses on display, provided by Wirral Transport Museum & Heritage Tramway
• 10am – 4pm: Open House at the Park Central Lodge (27 Ashville Road), free of charge
• 1pm – 2pm: Sing-a-long session to participate in the 175 Choir, free of charge
• 12pm – 5pm: Fun Fair in front of the Visitor Centre – open daily during the Easter holidays

Activities for young people will also be run by HYPE, one of the park’s partners based at the Grand Entrance. These include:-

• 10am – 1pm: Family Fun Dog Show – to take part, visit here hype-merseyside.co.uk/community-dog-show/
• 10am – 2pm: Open House at the Park’s Grand Entrance, HYPE’s Victorian Sweet Shop and Urban Walled Garden
• 10am – 2pm: Park Explorers App with prizes and Walk Run Cycle Play (WRCP). Follow this link to register: www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-run-cycle-play-birkenhead-park-tickets-311112956227
• 10am – 2pm: Balance bikes for under 6s

On Tuesday, which was the day of the anniversary itself, Birkenhead Park hosted a ceremony attended by a number of dignitaries, including the Queen’s local representative, Mr Mark Blundell, the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside.

Mr Blundell was joined by the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Nigel Lancely and John Roberts, Deputy Lord Lieutenant in using their ceremonial swords to cut three specially-made cakes, each depicting one of the numbers in ‘175’.

Image: (L-R) Merseyside High Sheriff, Nigel Lancely; Lord Lieutenant Mark Blundell and Deputy Lord Lieutenant John Roberts

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