Alia is talking to a group of children. She's pointing and smiling.

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2017

ByJulia

After photographing the festival for the first time last year, I returned this year to photograph Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2017. And, yet again, it was an absolute blast.

This year, I photographed two days of the festival: Eid on the Square and the family finale day at the Palm House in Sefton Park.

 

Eid on the Square

Eid al-Fitr is the Islamic religious holiday celebrating of the end of Ramadan. Liverpool Arab Arts Festival 2017 kicked off on Eid with a day of music, dance and food at Lodge Lane in south Liverpool – Liverpool’s main Muslim quarter. There were traditional Arabic music bands, dance performances (including some of the most beautiful, colourful dresses I’ve seen in a long time), storytelling, stalls and food. Particularly popular were the food tours, hosted by Sarah Al-Hamad, an expert in Middle Eastern cuisine. She took visitors around some of the restaurants and food outlets in Lodge Lane. The lucky guests got to sample food from countries as far afield as Lebanon and Malaysia (and yes, I did join in … yum!).

A woman in a traditional Indian-style dress dancing. Behind her is a troupe of drummers.
Traditional dancers at Eid on the Square
Two dancers in front of a troupe of drummers
Traditional dancers at Eid on the Square
A crowd of people. Three men, one in traditional Arab clothes, are dancing and smiling.
Dancing at Eid on the Square
A traditional Arabic music group. Five seated men in front of a red-brick wall. Only the nearest man is in focus. He's singing into a microphone and playing an oud, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument.
Oud player, Eid on the Square
Two men dancing. One is in traditional Middle Eastern costume.
Dancing at Eid on the Square
A woman holding a plate of Lebanese finger food.
Sarah al-Hamad on the food tour, Eid on the Square

 

Finale day at the Sefton Palm House

A week later, on the Sunday, was the festival’s ever-marvelous finale day at the beautiful Palm House in Sefton Park. Included in the lineup were the London Syrian Ensemble, storyteller extraordinaire Alia Alzougbi and headliners Alsarah and the Nubatones. It really was a day filled with dancing, eating, music, laughter and fun.

A group of men are dancing in the Palm House.
Dancing at the Palm House
A group of men and women in smart, black clothes with a man sitting on a chair talking to them.
The London Syrian Ensemble being interviewed by BBC Arabic at the Palm House
A woman in traditional Yemen costume dancing with a man. She's looking up at him, smiling.
Yemeni dancing at the Palm House
A man and woman in traditional Yemeni costume, dancing together.
Yemeni dancing at the Palm House
A teenage girl in traditional Arab dress holding a cone-shaped piece of ceramic ware.
Singer Reham Al-Hakimi at the Palm House
Alia is talking to a group of children. She's pointing and smiling.
Storyteller Alia Alzougbi at the Palm House
A group of men and teen boys dancing. People are laughing and smiling.
Dancing at the Palm House
The group are performing on stage. In front is a group of people dancing, laughing and smiling.
Alsarah and the Nubatones at the Palm House
Two women standing next to each other, singing. They're clapping their hands and smiling as they sing.
Singer Alsarah and her sister at the Palm House
Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
1

Similar Posts

Part of a painting showing an ancient egyptian lady bowing in front of an altar, with burning incense.on the wall behind her are traditional egyptian scenes of offering tables with servants bringing food to lay on them

‘Animal mummies’ exhibition at the Manchester Museum

ByJulia

On 15 April 2016, we had a family trip to the Manchester Museum to see the Animal Mummies: Gifts for the Gods exhibition.

The theme of the exhibition was the mummification of animals in Ancient Egypt – why they were mummified and the religious cults with which they were associated. The exhibition also covered the more modern archaeological history of animal mummies and the recent scientific research that’s been done on them.

A boy sitting on top of a rocky outcrop, sitting side on to the camera. In the distance a wind farm can be seen out at sea

A New Year’s Day walk on West Kirby beach

ByJulia

New Year’s Day can be a bit of a non-day for many. For those who aren’t sleeping off a long night or nursing a severe hangover, going out for a walk somewhere can be a great way to blow away the cobwebs and pass some time.

As we were staying at a friend’s house over on the Wirral this New Year, we decided to go for a walk at Red Rocks on West Kirby beach.

Like much of the coast around the region, the beach is flat, sandy and has a large tidal range. West Kirby Beach looks out at the north coast of Wales and Hilbre Island. This stretch of beach has some amazing rocks which are great fun for the children to clamber around on.

Looking up the Eye from the base.

A view from the Liverpool Eye

ByJulia

The summer holidays can be both a blessing and a curse for those with young children. Whilst we get to spend some wonderful, unadulterated time with our precious offspring, the weeks can end up stretching ahead, seemingly endlessly, and we find ourselves searching for fun days out.

This summer, we whiled-away a day being tourists in our city: we went to the Albert Docks. We explored the waterside village full of fairground rides and eateries. We lunched and took in art and culture at the Tate Liverpool. We wandered around the Albert Dock for a while. Then, we finished up by having a ride on the Liverpool Eye.

A man with a shaved head is carrying a small keyboard and is looking over his shoulder. Next to him is a man looking down at something and smiling. There are people around them as it's a music festival
|

Liverpool Psych Fest: food, festival goers and musicians

ByJulia

Liverpool Psych Fest – or, to give it its proper name, Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia – was on in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool on 23 and 24 September this year.

Two friends of mine were running one of the food outlets at the festival and they asked me to come along and get some photos of them working and of some of their dishes.

looking at the north side. It's a small, low church. It has a castellated tower and the vestry extension coming out to the side.

Charlcombe Church: Bath’s oldest church

ByJulia

Charlcombe Church (or, the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Charlcombe, to give it its official name) is Bath’s oldest church and the place of many great childhood memories for me.

Although it underwent extensive work in the 19th century (including the addition of the vestry on the north side and the stained-glass windows), the church was first built during Norman times. It’s a tiny church, but has enormous character. Here’s a few fun facts about it.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments