After attending the Liverpool Latin festival on Saturday 4th March 2023 this weekend I had a great time at both the LLF preparty and LLF festival and it was a good event, raising money for a good cause for Cancer Research UK but I have to say I am disappointed with the way the LLF has been organised this year.
Never in my 10 years of dancing up and down the country, have I ever seen (until today), before the main event Liverpool Latin festival has even started, the best party has already happened (the preparty the night before)!
From a participants point of view I was really happy with the following 3 points

1 - A great atmosphere and vibe at both the Liverpool Latin festival preparty and Liverpool Latin festival 2023 party night with a good mixture of music being played.

2 - A friendly Liverpool dance community with nearly everybody was approachable to ask for a dance.

3 - The 10 minute movement factored into the timetable table to allow for movement between lessons so artists had sufficient time to demo and wrap the lesson up.

From a participant’s point of view i was disappointed with 5 main points

1 – we have lost so many international artists this year at Liverpool Latin festival 2023 (compared to previous years) such as Mauricio Reyes, Fadi K, Nigel May, Leandro and Jomante, Sol ans Laura etc. As a support of Liverpool Latin festival It was very difficult to promote the event without any artists dancers knew who attended in past years but not this year.

2 - the lack of advertising/publicity on the Liverpool Latin festival. So many people i was trying to recommend this event didn’t even know the Liverpool Latin festival was on but they were aware of the Liverpool Latin festival Preparty.

3 - the earlier finish time of the Liverpool Latin festival at 00.45 (compared to the normal 2am finish time which was secured in previous years). Even the preparty on Friday night had a 2am finish and I naturally would have thought the main event itself would have a equivalent or later finishing time.

4 - half the dancers who attended the Liverpool Latin Festival Preparty didn't come to the Liverpool Latin festival which was a huge disappointment. (You know who you are) Who goes into a restaurant to order a starter but doesn't order main meal?

5 - some artists who came to teach at the Liverpool Latin Festival during the day didn't come to the evening party but chose to go elsewhere (again, you know who you are and we hoped you would have come to the Liverpool Latin festival in the event to dance with us which was another disappointment as artists are the face of the event / representing the event)

Overall the Liverpool Latin festival was a good event and having attended Liverpool Latin festival each year since it first started in 2015 right through today in 2023 it was much better in previous years such as 2017, 2018 when we had a later 2am finish and 2 rooms for even social salsa and bachata / kizomba as the event was much more advertised with more international artists supporting the event. The Liverpool Latin festival is still one of my favorite events and despite the setback for 2023, LLF will still continue to remain on my approve list of must try events as I still believe any dancer would still enjoy this event given the friendly Liverpool dance community and the event is raising money for a good cause which I agree with and hopefully The Liverpool Latin festival will return stronger in 2024!