It was on August 18, 1962, that Ringo Starr made his first appearance as The Beatles’ official drummer at Hulme Hall in the pretty village of Port Sunlight, Wirral. The group were the headline act in the local horticultural society’s 17th annual dance.

On that night, the Fab Four were born. The next day, they played the Cavern Club for the first time together, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Cavern Club will celebrate this special occasion with a musical extravaganza at Hulme Hall on Wednesday, and with a party on Thursday at the club.

There’s also the annual International Beatle Week Festival (August 22-28). This year, for the first time, it will team up with the Port Sunlight Summer Festival, bringing a Beatles flavour to the event with tribute bands on August 25.

For Beatle Week, bands and fans will gather from around the world to party in the city, with shows and special guests throughout the week and at the world’s biggest Beatles Convention (August 26).

August 19-20 also sees the 20th Mathew Street Festival and Fringe, a huge celebration of all things Merseybeat with a special stage for Beatles tribute bands and acts influenced by The Beatles.

There will be celebrations after the summer too. Throughout the year, the Cavern Club will have Saturday With The Beatles concerts, with its resident Beatles tribute band giving special performances.

The Beatles Story exhibition, in Albert Dock, hosts a special Love Me Do Weekend (October 5-7) to celebrate the release of The Beatles’ first single. That weekend will also include an attempt to beat the world record for the biggest sing-along, on October 5.

Before Christmas, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall will stage the Liverpool Philharmonic Beatles Weekend (December 7-9) with special guests The Bootleg Beatles and actor and musician Mark McGann’s extraordinary portrayal of John Lennon in his show, In My Life.

Opening on November 15 (until December 1), the newly-refurbished Epstein Theatre (formerly The Neptune) will run the long-awaited theatre production Epstein, a one-man play with live music.

Although the city offers a wide choice of hotels, some Beatles fans enjoy the beautifully-restored four-star Hard Days Night Hotel, the only Beatles-themed hotel in the world, around the corner from the Cavern Club.

Each of the 110 guest bedrooms has a unique large Beatles painting over the headboard.

Visit cavernclub.org; visitliverpool.com/ 50yearsofthebeatles; harddaysnighthotel.com or call 0151 2361964; visitliverpool.com/special-offers/great-2012-accommodation-offers-o8511