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 Welcome to the second year of Festival
Fever which takes a look at last year’s events and the exciting
forthcoming calendar that is Festival Fever 2008.
I hope you are inspired by last year’s festivals to attend some of the
many diverse events that Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and its
partners organise. As you will read, some of our audience figures
increased during 2007.
This year, we hope to develop our festivals even further, providing new
opportunities to attend and participate in what is now an established
vibrant hub for celebrating local, regional and international talents.
Hope to see you there!
Chris Wyatt
Arts and Festivals Manager
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2008 Calendar
2007 Review
Dance Fusion 2007
Dance groups from across the borough performed to a packed audience at
Lowton Civic Hall as part of Dance Fusion - an annual borough wide dance
festival.
The sell out show at Lowton featured Latin, Ballet, Street Dance and
Egyptian dancing with 292 people of all ages participating.
Organised by Wigan and Leigh Dance Network and Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust, Dance Fusion also offered a week of free dance workshops and
sample dance sessions at a range of venues.
Overall attendance: 1,500
Leigh & Wigan Words Together Literary Festival 2007
The fourth Leigh and Wigan Words Festival, ‘Words ‘07’, hosted
thirty-two events. We welcomed old friends and presented new and
talented performers.
The programme included Marina Lewycka, author of ‘A Short History of
Tractors in Ukrainian’; The Reading Room presented by The Blue Lizard
Theatre Company plus John Siddique, Tom Palmer, Paul Cookson, John
Linley, Tony Walsh, Jackie Hagan, Rosie Lugosi and a host of local
artists and community groups showcasing their own work. A Julie
McKeirnan’s play, performed by Wigan Pier Theatre Company in partnership
with Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and Age Concern is one example.
1,453 people attended.
 Hot On the Streets
Another bumper packed three days of street theatre at Wigan’s very own
Market Place in the heart of the Town Centre. Dance, comedy and music
from the likes of Sneakers, Bread and Butter, Dutch clowns Nakupelle,
wacky Music Ruth with her mobile Wurlitzer organ and the brilliant local
talent of Yessica, Step By Step, Daughters of Isis, L & L Superstars and
the Dynamite Dancers.
The sun shone and the crowds came.
Overall attendance - 3,000+
Haigh 2007
This year’s festival was the biggest and best yet. The Haigh Festival
celebrates local bands playing original sounds. Indie, Metal, Punk or
Emo. This is a festival that Wigan is proud of. Organised by the Trust
in partnership with Wigan Music Collective, the sun shone and the stage
rocked to the likes of The Gecko, Dirty Circus and Plasmastorm.
Oh, and by the way, Haigh 2007 saw an increased attendance of 100%.
Overall attendance 7,000
Platform ‘07
This festival was the first to celebrate Youth Theatre in Wigan & Leigh.
This week-long showcase of theatre by young people brought together
Wigan Pier’s ten satellite youth theatre groups alongside three other
local groups – WillPower, Will & A Way and Wigan Little Youth Theatres.
There were eight nightly performances and three matinees of plays
including three premiers of new work. Some of these plays highlighted
young people’s issues and each performance included a double-bill of
comedy or drama from two different groups.
This festival was supported by Arts Council England, North West.
140 young people took part and the total audience over the festival was
just under 700.
Arts For All
This year’s Arts For All once again proved that the voluntary arts
sector is alive and very well in the borough. Haigh Country Park hosted
the showcase with performances from local youth dance groups, folk
groups, harmony singers, children’s carnival parades and workshops from
resident visual artists at the Haigh Stables Studios.
Watch out for Arts For All in your local park from 2009!!
Overall attendance 1,000+
 Art Factory – Lumia Domestica
This, the annual summer holiday interactive exhibition is always
exciting and popular with its visitors. This year proved the same, nay,
better. U2 lighting designer Willy Williams, created a quirky and
innovative light show, using mostly everyday objects, bringing
changeable ambiences to the gallery.
Good fun, stimulating and yet relaxing all in one brilliant exhibition.
Overall attendance 3,582
The Wigan International Jazz Festival
The 22nd Wigan International Jazz Festival took place from the 13th –
22nd July 2007. Attracting over 4000 visitors, the event continues to be
rated as one of the best and most friendly festivals in the world. The
quality 10-day programme with over forty concerts, featured a wide range
of jazz styles and included Martin Taylor’s Freternity, Thilo Wolf Big
Band (Germany) NATO’s Shape Jazz Orchestra, John Labarbera (USA)
Shakatak, Dennis Rollins & Badbone & Co, Alan Barnes and Wigan Jazz Club
Big Band. Festival goers from all around the UK and Europe, many
spending a full ten-days in Wigan, rated it as ‘one of the best in
recent years’. The 23rd Festival is eagerly awaited by all concerned and
takes place from the 11th -1 9th July 2008.
Overall attendance: 4000+
Hot On The Square
This the second year of the events on the square proved a real
international as well as local roots celebration. During the three days
there were performances from Tyldesley Marionettes, a hip hop dance
troupe from Cuba, flamenco dancers, and hilarious compere Gary Gifford.
Urban Canvas also transformed the square with the help of several family
groups into a chalk and paint image of the world and vibrant colourful
shapes.
Was it hot? Yes it was.
Overall attendance 2,500
Leigh Mela
The first of it’s kind in Leigh, Hot on the Square was a lead-up to the
Leigh Mela which saw over 2,000 in attendance throughout the day. A fun
day was had by all with pavement art and a colourful and rich array of
music, dance and performance from local and international groups.
The fun will continue in 2008 so come and join in the fun!
Overall attendance 2,000 +
Wigan One World Festival WOW Festival 2007
Often seen as the flagship for bringing people together, sharing and
embracing diversity and multiculturalism, WOW at Mesnes Park, Wigan is
the place to be on the first Sunday in August.
This year saw no fewer than 200 performing artists representing both
local groups and international visiting troupes. There were community
stalls, drop in arts and craft activities, a dog show, a carnival
parade, good food and sunny weather.
This is a warm and friendly festival that seems to grow each year and
this year the park was certainly bustling.
Overall attendance 9,000 (A whopping 50% increase on previous year)
 Wigan Food & Drink Festival
The Inaugural Wigan Food and Drink Festival in October 07 was the first
of it’s kind in Wigan and took the theme of ‘Taste and Tradition’ and
included 4 key elements:
The Wigan Fine Food Trail brought together 10 high quality restaurants
from across Wigan Borough, each offering up special menus and
incentives.
The Road to Wigan Beer, organised in association with Wigan CAMRA
selected 20 pubs, each filled with real character and real ale to
showcase Wigan’s pub life.
The Events Programme included the Wigan Outdoor Market Kitchen Theatre,
special themed nights in the partner restaurants, tours, demonstrations
and tastings.
Finally there was the publication of Jackbit - the special limited
edition cookbook of local recipes provided by local people and local
famous sons and daughters.
The first ever Food and Drink Festival was a success. Over £100K of
positive media coverage was received for the town and its food and drink
sector. An estimated 3000 people attended the Kitchen Theatre across the
two days it was open. Six of the twelve ticketed events were sold out
and two almost sold out. To date, over 2000 copies of Jackbit have been
sold. All proving that there is a real appetite for a Food and Drink
Festival in Wigan!
2008 Calendar
May
17 May – 5 July
Art with Strangers
Turnpike Gallery, Leigh
Artworks that have involved encounters between people who started out as
strangers and includes film, video, photography and installation.
Tel: 01942 404469.
Free
June
Friday 13 June, 7pm - 9pm
Film Screening – Wallace & Gromit – Curse of the Were Rabbit
A firm family favourite. Join Wallace and Gromit in the search for the
mysterious were-rabbit appropriately enough on Friday 13th!
Tickets: £3/£1.50
Tel: 01942 404404
Sunday 15 June, 12pm – 5pm
Made in Wigan
The Courtyard, Trencherfield Mill
Pre-launch of Wigan International Jazz Festival
A celebration of Wigan – it’s culture, character and heritage.
Featuring Andy Prior, Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra, Wigan Jazz Club Big
band, Wigan Pier Theatre Company and Wigan Pier Youth Theatre.
Come along on the day and get involved.
Free
 July
Sunday 6 July, 12pm – 8pm
Haigh Festival 2008
Haigh Hall & Country Park
Live music festival featuring great bands from in and around Wigan.
Free
Confirmed line-up:
The Kicks
Laura White
The Geoffs
John Player Specials
Ideal Crash
Acrid Fear
Joyce
Moco
Murmurs of Tension
Filthy Souls
The Loungs
10 – 12 July
Platform ’08 Youth Theatre Festival
Wigan Little Theatre
The Best of British – A youth theatre revue featuring sketches from some
of Britain’s best loved comedy classics. Highlights include Victoria
Wood & Monty Python as well as classics such as Dad’s Army and Round the
House.
Tickets only.
Tel: 01942 242561
Saturday 12 July
Music from the Movies
Pennington Hall Park, Leigh
Join Golborne Brass Band for an evening concert featuring music that we
all recognise from films recent and past. Bring your deck chairs and
refreshments for a fantastic evening of entertainment.
Tickets only.
Tel: 01942 488552 ?
Free
11-19 July
Wigan International Jazz festival
9 days of cool!
Tel: 01942 825677
For further information visit
www.wiganjazz.net
 23-25 July, 12pm – 2pm
Hot on the Square
Civic Square, Leigh
Hot on the Square will be happening again this year on the Civic Square.
This year has a community focus with dancing and performing from your
local community groups. Hot on the Square leads into the Leigh
Multicultural Festival.
Full line up coming soon!
Free
Saturday 26 July, 12pm – 5pm
Leigh Multicultural Festival
Civic Square, Leigh
Leigh Multicultural Festival brings the many different cultures in Leigh
together for music, dance, performance and fun from across the world.
Due to the success of last year the fun continues…
Full line up coming soon!
Free
19 July – 6 September
Art Factory: Paradise
Turnpike Gallery, Leigh
What’s your idea of paradise? Drop in to the gallery and see how the
exhibition develops over the summer holidays and while you’re there you
can add your own vision of paradise…
Our artist in residence will be on-hand every day from 10am – 4pm
Tel: 01942 404469.
Free
August
Sunday 3 August, 12pm – 5pm
WOW Festival
Mesnes Park, Wigan
Cultural Festival featuring dance, music, theatre and arts from here and
across the globe. The most popular festival in Wigan, not to be missed!
Free
Wednesday 6 August, 10am – 3pm
National Play Day
Lilford Park, Leigh
Challenging, mucky and fun activities within the woods. Be prepared for
messy, wet and dirty children.
Tel: 01942 886780
Free
September
Saturday 6 September
Last Night at the Proms
Pennington Hall Park, Leigh
Tyldesley band play a repertoire pf familiar ‘Last Night’ music. A
firework display will make sure the evening ends with a bang!
Tickets £5
Tel: 01942 825677
October
3-13 October
Wigan Food and Drink Festival
Various venues across the borough.
The tastiest event of the year!
Free & ticketed events
Tel: 01942 825677
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