A SPECIAL film screening of The Wizard of Oz will mark the 80th birthday of the Grade II listed art-deco Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

The film premiered in 1939, the same year that the Hall, designed by local architect Herbert Rowse, opened on Hope Street on the same site that the original hall stood from August 27, 1849 to July 5, 1933 when it was destroyed by a fire.

Set to take place on Wednesday, June 19 the film will be screened on the venue's unique Walturdaw cinema screen which rises from under the stage and will be accompanied by the Liverpool Philharmonic's resident cinema organist Dave Nicholas who has been doing the very same job for 30 years.

Along with the screening, the Grand Foyer Bar will serve Wizard-themed cocktails and event goers are welcome to dress as their favourite character from the film.

All funds raised from the event will support the restoration of the Hall's historic organ.

A replacement organ console is now in temporary situ and is stored under the stage.

All its workings are hidden behind grilles on either side of the stage and more than 120,000 yards of insulated copper wire was used to the connect the console with various sections of the organ.

There are more than 17,000 switches and contacts in the organ, along with 2,847 electric magnets.

The organ is the world's oldest remaining working example of its type - the same being true of the Walturdaw cinema screen.

Richard Haswell, head of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall & events said: "Liverpool Philharmonic has been at the centre of the city’s cultural life since the 1840s.

"Today we present a distinctive, ambitious and entertaining live music programme of more than 450 concerts and events annually, with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and its associated ensembles at its heart and welcome international guest artists to the city from across classical, rock, pop and other music genres attended by 340,000 people annually.

"We’re delighted to screen the Wizard of Oz in our iconic home on the unique Walturdaw to mark the current Hall’s 80th birthday and the film’s 80th anniversary and to support the important restoration our Rushworth and Dreaper organ."

Special ticket packages are also available for the screening, priced at £49.

These tickets, called Emerald City Package, will give access to the Liverpool Philharmonic's Music Room which will be transformed into the Emerald City from 6pm.

There will be Wizard of Oz themed canapes including Aunty Em Pulled Pork on Kansas Corn Bread and Yellow Brick Rocky Road plus a free glass of fizz on arrival.

Live music will be provided by Simply Frank - AKA David Knopov.

General tickets are priced at £16 and are available by calling the Box Office on 0151 709 3789.