August 25, 2026
Thousands of people flocked to Prescot over the weekend as the Serious Nonsense Festival returned with two days of music, street theatre, circus, comedy and family fun.
Inspired by Knowsley’s historic connection to nonsense poet Edward Lear, and the town’s Elizabethan heritage, the festival transformed Prescot town centre into a vibrant playground of imagination and creativity, welcoming visitors of all ages to enjoy a packed programme of free entertainment and activities.
Friday’s taster programme featured street theatre, music and family workshops, including performances from Flat Pack Opera, the acrobatic Tudor Tea Party by Circo Rum Ba Ba, and creative activities at Shakespeare North Playhouse, where families took part in rhythm workshops with CBBC’s Holly Mallett and storytelling sessions using Lego.
Saturday saw the festival in full swing, with crowds gathering across the town centre to enjoy headline performances including BLOCK by internationally acclaimed dance-circus company Motionhouse. The spectacular production, featuring giant moving blocks, gravity-defying acrobatics and breathtaking choreography, captivated audiences throughout the day.
Music echoed across Prescot as visitors enjoyed performances from Pop Vox Choir, Strawberry Fields Ukes, Flat Pack Opera, OneDa, Baked A La Ska, KPOP and Mr Swing’s Dance Orchestra, while Top Rope Wrestling Academy delivered plenty of action and excitement in the wrestling ring.
The streets were brought to life by a colourful cast of walkabout performers. Families encountered the mischievous Damsels in Distress, the eccentric Aristocrats, unicycling adventurers in Knightly Nonsense, giant puppet favourites Hodman Dodmanott and Sally Forth, towering Treemendous trees, the whimsical Queen of Hearts, and the hilarious Shakespeare-inspired Kill Will.
Shakespeare North Playhouse complemented the outdoor programme with a range of special events, including Potty Plants with Edward Lear and Foss, His Curious Cat, The Rogue Shakespeare Experience, improvised theatre workshops from Glamazon Prime, and an evening performance of the award-winning improvised musical comedy.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, said:
“It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying everything the Serious Nonsense Festival had to offer. The atmosphere across Prescot was incredible throughout the weekend, with residents and visitors coming together to enjoy an outstanding programme of performances, activities and live entertainment.
“The festival continues to grow year on year and has become one of Knowsley’s most popular cultural events. We’d like to thank all of the performers, partners, volunteers and everyone who attended and helped make this year’s event such a success.”
What the visitors said:
“I wanted to express my gratitude for the fantastic afternoon in Prescot. I took my 95yr old Mum and she loved all the characters wandering round who all made a big fuss of her. Well done on organising a fabulous FREE joyous event.”
“I visited the Serious Nonsense Festival at the weekend, travelling in from Cheshire. Oh my goodness it was amazing. Could not believe it was all free!! The amount of street entertainment for all ages was astonishing, the street art incredible! It was fantastic to see the town looking so well and the feel was electric. I will be counting down the days until next year and I will be telling everyone to come. So many shops in Prescot too that I want to revisit. Well done to all the organisers, it was obvious a huge amount of effort was made and it showed. It put a big smile on everyone’s face. Seriously an amazing event!”
“You walk up the hill, hoping it’ll be like last year, and then. You get there. And it’s everywhere, music, juggling, poets, knights, singers, gymnasts, trees walking, families smiling at you, so you just join in. And you find your smile. And have a bonkers, nonsense day.”
What Prescot businesses said:
“As a business, this was our fifth Serious Nonsense Festival and we feel that each year it just gets better and better. We had one of our best Saturdays this year and the feedback from our customers was extremely positive, most asking when the next event will be! We had lots of our regular customers who enjoyed the event, along with a number of visitors from far and wide (two ladies actually came all the way from Cornwall!) From a business point of view, events such as The Serious Nonsense festival undoubtedly raise the profile of Prescot and encourage first time visitors to return. We look forward to the next one!”
The Serious Nonsense Festival is delivered by Culture Knowsley and celebrates Knowsley’s unique cultural heritage while bringing world-class arts and entertainment to the heart of Prescot. Thank you to the Sir Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation and Lady Dodd for supporting this year’s event and Creative Producer Bev Ayre.
