LONDON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The British city of
Liverpool home to the world-renowned Beatles launches Beatles Day on Thursday to
celebrate the musical achievements of the band.
The event is to coincide with the 44th anniversary of
the legendary band's triumphant homecoming after conquering the United States in
1964, Sky news reported.
Fans will vote for their favorite Beatles hit and a
special concert at the Liverpool Echo Arena will be part of the celebration,
with bands from across Britain playing cover versions of Beatles' biggest hits.
There will also be a special fun run and parades
through locations the band has made world-famous, including Penny Lane and
Strawberry Fields.
Thousands of inflatable guitars and 5-pound (some 10
dollars) mop-top' wigs will be on sale across Liverpool as the city honors the
four-member band.
Money raised through the event will go toward Alder
Hey Hospital and a fund to generate resources for a community center in memory
of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones.
"Liverpool has always been proud of The Beatles and
it's a wonderful idea to combine an annual celebration of their music with a
fund-raising drive for charity," said promoter Chas Cole, mastermind of the
event.
"Beatles Day will really be about the ordinary people
of this city and hopefully, in the future, cities in the UK and beyond," he
added.
On July 10, 1964, The Beatles were greeted by
thousands of screaming fans when they landed at Speke Airport - now John Lennon
Airport - after a immensely successful American tour.
A crowd of 100,000 people lined the streets of
Liverpool that evening as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo
Starr made their way to a reception for the premiere of A Hard Day's Night.