A submarine research vessel explored the deep sea, its mission: an underwater life of happiness, making friends in a world where everyone lives in unity. Our trusty seafarers and their friends symbolised the partnership with Liverpool and Ukraine, the global Eurovision community and the unity it brings.
This piece was produced by Invisible Wind Factoryin partnership with The Kazimier.
The Blue and Yellow Submarine Parade took over the city centre on Friday 5 May 2023, and saw an underwater sea disco come to life on the city streets as a new magical world called Aquatopia is created.
Featuring a glitterball puffer fish, a drumming octopus, a crew of skating jellyfish, voguing Sea Queens plus many more creatures of the sea and of course a blue and yellow submarine.
Members of the public were encouraged to follow the parade and were urged to embrace the theme and dress in underwater fancy dress.
Inspired by the United By Music theme and symbolising partnership and community, hundreds of performers, musicians and community groups were involved including LGBTQ+ groups, dance companies, asylum seekers as well as local organisations such as Katumba and Movema.
As with all the host city events, there was significant Ukrainian involvement with the submarine doubling as a stage for a newly formed band made up of star vocalist Sofia Pavlichenko (front woman of Freedom Jazz), Bozhena Hamar (Ukrainian ethnic flute virtuoso) and Liverpool’s Dogshow brothers Sam and Laurie Crombie performing euro classics in an ethno-Ukraine techno mashup.
