The Serious Nonsense Festival
Saturday, 23 August 2025
Prepare for a day of fun and fantastical frolics as the Serious Nonsense Festival returns to Prescot town centre.
The heart of Prescot will once again transform into a playground of imagination, offering a spectacular line up of free family entertainment, activities, and performances.
The festival celebrates Knowsley’s fascinating connections to Edward Lear, who lived at Knowsley Hall for many years and was best-known for his literary nonsense.
With this year’s theme of ‘Fun and Games’, visitors will embrace the ludicrous as music, magnificent mayhem, and marvellous capers take over every corner of Prescot.
The festival promises something to spark joy in every member of the family. From toe-tapping tunes to side-splitting spectacles, you won’t want to miss it.
- What: Serious Nonsense Festival
- When: Saturday, August 23, 2025, 11am – 6pm
- Where: Prescot Town Centre
What you can see
Splintered Ukes
Expect the unexpected from 4 ukeleles, a bass and a drum kit playing eclectic covers and banging tunes from one of the best dance-along bands in the North West.
Image credit: Andrew Billington
High Tea (With A Twist)
Dance and acrobatic performance above a beautifully set tea table. Expect glittery cakes, bright colours and lots of fun.
Pop Vox Choir
The most professional amateur choir in the UK, Pop Vox perform a catalogue of crowd-pleasing hits, new and old.
Strawberry Fields Uke
A group of amateur ukulele players who meet at the iconic Beatles venue each week to share their love of music and life.
Baked A La Ska
A super charged 11-headed ska monster on a rampage through the dance floors of the UK. It’s a band of assembled oddballs and pranksters brought together by keyboardist and wizard Mr John Ellis, fronted by an unholy trio of singers: Frank “The Skank”, Tommy Robot and Kuntri Ranks, who combine with the soft lilt and harmonica magic of Robin Sunflower. Baked A La Ska also feature one of the tightest rhythm sections in Manchester with the “chops to make you drop”. The band have release four acclaimed albums showcasing their trademark mix of spaced out and spooky originals plus quirky covers that have been put through their ska machine.
Silk Street Jazz
Get ready to swing, Knowsley! Silk Street Jazz is bringing their toe-tapping, crowd-pleasing sound to the 2025 Serious Nonsense Festival — and it’s guaranteed to be a showstopper. Known for their infectious energy and irresistible vintage flair, this dynamic jazz band will be filling the air with everything from Dixieland classics to foot-stomping New Orleans rhythms. Whether you’re a lifelong jazz lover or just in the mood for something bold and brilliantly fun, Silk Street Jazz will have you dancing, smiling, and soaking in the spirit of pure, playful nonsense.
Image credit: Dan Tucker
WILD by Motion House
This hit dance-circus production from Motion House, explores humanity’s growing disconnect with the natural world and our impact on the environment. Performers use gravity-defying powerful physicality to move through a forest of tall poles. The performers move animal-like through the dangerous world of the forest, taking refuge high in the canopy.
Tea Club
A strolling piece of dance theatre, celebrating Britain’s passion for tea and all things vintage. Meet Trixie and Tilly, two eccentric tea ladies, who serve their fine leaf drink from their special musical trolley- dancing to their favourite Gramophone records, they swirl and stir along their way.
Flat Pack Music
Classical music like you’ve never heard before! Flat Pack Music have introduced new audiences, young and old to classical music and opera by making their performances as accessible as possible.
Nachdar Sansar
Nachda Sansaar is a renowned Punjabi folk dance group based in Birmingham, UK. Established in 1984 by Vijay Mehay, the group has been pivotal in promoting and preserving traditional Bhangra dance across the UK and internationally. Starting as a small ensemble of six friends, Nachda Sansaar has grown into a dynamic team known for their vibrant performances at weddings, festivals, and major cultural events.
Guests will be treated to three different bhangra routines, with live dhol (drums) and the chance to learn some new moves.
Powered by Hip Hop
An energetic showcase of breakdance battles set to a soundtrack of head-nodding hip hop beats. Expect clean footwork, high-flying tricks, and power moves that bring the raw energy of the culture to life. Featuring B-Boys and B-Girls aged 7 to adult, this performance brings together a community of dancers from across the region — sharing the passion, skill, and history behind it all. Whether you're a fan or just curious, this is your chance to see real hip hop dance in action — and maybe even pick up a move or two.
Futureshock Wrestling
Manchester's home-grown independent wrestling company. Hard hitting, heart stopping, high flying action to rival anything you'll see anywhere in the world. Across three decades FutureShock has had wrestling fans of all ages cheering, booing and gasping at the ring side!
Queen Beyard
Classy yet crunchy, Queen Bayard is a delight to behold. A live singer, entertainer and hostess who lives to spread love and to serve the good people of Prescot in her own stunningly unique style. Whether flying solo, backed by a band of bears or accompanied by a pianist in her own melodramatic cabaret, she is always sure to be one thing: world class.
Danielle De La Wonk
Danielle de la Wonk will be turning herself into a human fire ball right before your very eyes! This mad madam cut her teeth as a performer on the streets of South America and has never looked back, now residing back in her birth lands of the UK. Come let yourself be entertained by this high energy twisted fire starter with poi, fans and hula hoop. Hold on to your eyebrows... cause the temperature will rise!
Shakespeare North Playhouse
Storyplay with Lucy
11am & 12pm at the Learning Centre
Get ready for a storytelling adventure where you help create the story! Join Lucy for a fast, funny, and totally unpredictable show full of games, laughter, and surprises. Perfect for children and the young at heart.
Serious Nonsense with Dan Nightingale & Friends
6.30pm in The Cockpit Theatre
Tickets £18 & £15
Get ready for a night of Serious Nonsense as stand-up powerhouse Dan Nightingale headlines an evening of comedy at Shakespeare North’s Cockpit Theatre.
Known for his electrifying live shows and as co-host of the smash-hit Have A Word podcast, Dan brings his trademark mix of sharp material, whip-smart improvisation, and big personality to our stage — joined by “the up & coming queen of scouse comedy” (SKIDDLE) Kay Nicholson.
It’s an evening you SERIOUSLY don’t want to miss
Up & Away by Tmesis Theatre
1pm and 3.30pm in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden
An interactive family friendly show using words, puppetry, and physical theatre, in a celebration of hope and dreaming the impossible!
Join Tmesis Theatre on an exciting journey as they take you on a journey of the discovery of flight and the hot air balloon!
A drawing session based on themes of the show will follow the performance!
Fancy Pants
11am – 12pm & 1pm - 3pm
A FREE creative drop-in session in our family area - join us to spin your own stories and create your own characters any time between 11am and 12pm, and 1pm and 3pm.
Join Fancy Pants as she causes mayhem across the Playhouse — playing tricks, sparking laughter, and recruiting fellow mischief-makers. A performer with a passion for playful chaos and joyful connection, Fancy Pants creates character-led experiences that draw children and grown-ups alike into worlds of wonder, silliness, and surprise. Her work celebrates the power of imagination, spontaneous play, and shared laughter — because life’s better when it’s a little bit ridiculous.
This fun, interactive experience is for the whole family to giggle along with. Fancy Pants turns everyday moments into unforgettable fun.