Liverpool to host UK’s first Inclusive Sport & Culture Festival in 2027

The week-long event will take over Liverpool’s famous waterfront next May, combining world-class Paralympic sport with a groundbreaking arts and culture programme led by deaf, disabled and neurodivergent creatives.

Date published: 27th May 2026

Liverpool will become home to a brand-new event next spring as the city hosts the UK’s first Inclusive Sport & Culture Festival from 2nd to 8th May 2027.

Taking place across the city’s waterfront, including the M&S Bank Arena, Exhibition Centre, Salthouse Dock and Pier Head, the week-long festival will combine world-class Paralympic sport with a disabled-led arts and culture programme.

The event will feature four international competitions across boccia, para athletics, wheelchair rugby and paracanoe, bringing elite athletes from around the world to Liverpool as they prepare for the build-up to the 2028 Summer Paralympics.

Fans can watch wheelchair rugby action throughout the week at the arena, while the World Boccia Cup will take place at the Exhibition Centre. Salthouse Dock will host free-to-watch paracanoe racing, before para athletics takes over the waterfront on the festival’s final day with a free outdoor showcase.

Alongside the sporting action, a programme of arts and cultural events led by deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists will run throughout the week. Organisers say the festival aims to bring sport and culture together on one stage while creating new opportunities for disabled athletes and creatives.

The festival is being delivered by UK Sport, ParalympicsGB, Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council, with support from National Lottery funding.

More information on uksport.gov.uk

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