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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
 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. FREE
Wednesday 23 July
Banner & Flag Painting
Get creative and help us to paint flags and banners ready for the Leigh
Multicultural Festival. An artist will be on hand to help with designs.
Thursday 24 July
Banner & Flag Painting
Creative Café
Drop in and have a creative break. Take part in different arts and
health activities.
Acrobats of Silence (Crete/Greece)
Presenting popular dances from their island culture.
Pinezka (Poland)
Clowning around and circus skills with audience involvement from
children and families.
Don’t Panic Brass Band (Poland)
Traditional Polish brass band music.
Friday 25 July
Imperial Feat
A young dance group from Astley and Tyldesley performing street dance.
Anvil Street Drummers
Wigan based maracatu & samba rhythms.
Spirit Stage Academy
Young people’s dance academy from Tyldesley.
Sue Powell Green
Belly dancing performance and interactive workshop.
Banner & Flag Painting
Creative Café
Drop in and have a creative break. Take part in different arts and
health activities.
Pinezka (Poland)
Foyer Rural de Bois (Martinique)
Folk dances of Martinique, including ‘Bel air’ and carnival dance.
Officinia Punchenella Street Theatre Project (Italy)
Stilt walking with juggling and circus skills.
Kompanhia Multicultural Diaspora (Portugal)
Contemporary and traditional dance with instruments to tell the history
of the Cape Verde community.
Saturday 26 July
Leigh Multicultural Festival
Letwin Berebende
African Musician & Singer.
Imperial Feat
Young group from Astley and Tyldelsey performing street dance.
Samba Magic
Young persons drumming group from Lowton.
Anvil Street Drummers
Maracatu and samba beats.
Spirit Stage Academy
Young people’s dance academy from Tyldesley.
Step Beyond
Street dance group from Westleigh High School.
Wigan & Leigh Kurdish Cultural Association
Traditional Kurdish dancing.
On The Move
Three performances by junior groups from summer dance schools.
Roots & Routes (Germany)
A funky and energetic show with different dance styles including B-Boying,
Popping and Locking.
Eclodir Azul (Portugal)
25 drummers performing an energetic style percussion mixing elements of
gumboot and street dance.
Ballet Entredanzas (Spain)
Contemporary flamenco including castanuelas and rhythmic clapping.
Creative Café
Drop in and have a creative break. Take part in different arts and
health activities.
Summer Fruit Machine
Play the fruit machine that pays out healthy portions of mixed fruits
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
Line up includes:
Hayella – Turkey
Hayella’s music is the essence of the Turkish blues, their music stands
as a bridge between past and present using both contemporary and
traditional instruments.
Pinezka – Poland
Clowning around with the audience and circus skills to leave you in awe.
Roots to Routes (Holland)
Funky urban music with some of Holland’s finest MC’s.
According to Alan - Wigan
Winners of Rig Fset Battle of the bands
Belmont Freetown – Trinidad and Tobago
Old time carnival characters with steel pan music.
Tiredness Kills – Wigan
Five Wigan Lads, bringing together their own different influences to
create a unique and individual sound.
Don’t Panic Brass Band – Poland
Traditional polish brass band music.
Inside View - Wigan
A described by themselves – a slightly american influenced pop rock
band.
Love on Hold – Wigan
Four young lads are bursting with enthusiasm, talent and a general love
for indie rock n roll.
Officinia Pulcinella Street Theatre Project – Italy
Stilt walking with juggling and circus skills.
Lakeside
No Sweat - Liverpool
Hip hop street dance crew.
Kurdish Cultural Association – Wigan & Leigh
Traditional Kurdish dancing.
Acrobats of Silence – Crete/Greece
A traditional dance group from Crete with popular dances from their
island culture.
Roots & Routes – Germany
A funky energetic show with different dance styles including B-Boying,
Popping and Locking.
Strictly Break Dance - Shakerley
Young dance group.
Companhia Multicultural Diaspora – Portugal
Contemporary and traditional dance with instruments to tell the history
of the Cape Verde community.
MD Company – Martinique
Highly regarded in the Hip-Hop world.
Spirit Stage Academy - Tyldesley
Young people’s dance academy.
Letwin Berebende
African musicians and singers.
Thistle Society – Wigan
Traditional Scottish dancing.
Got Skills, the Urban Dance Society – Holland
Urban artist’s present their show ‘ True Identity’ – a search for
identity that mixes spectacle with dance.
Ballet Entredanzas – Spain
Contemporary flamenco dancers with castanuelas and rhythmic clapping.
Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts – India
One of India’s best contemporary dance companies presenting a new show
based on the history of ‘Spices’.
Heather Gardens
Anvil Street Drummers – Wigan
Maracatu and Samba beats.
Kosman ti Dalon
Their performance explores the movement of slaves east of Africa through
Madagascar and the role of the reunion as a significant stopping point
in the slave shipping routes.
Dance Moves – Wigan & Leigh
Over 50’s dance groups.
Samba Magic - Lowton
Young person’s drumming group.
Afrocats - Manchester
African dance group performing dances from South Africa - Afro Haitian
and the Zulu war dance.
Ecludir Azul – Portugal
25 drummers performing an energetic style percussion mixing elements of
gumboot and street dance.
Rakkasah – UK
Traditional belly dancing.
La Banda Diavola – Italy
In translation: ‘the devil’s band’ is a strong ‘Italian old Sicily
style’ brass band, with a godfather mafia style.
Foyer Rural de Bois – Martinique
Folk dances of Martinique, including ‘Bel Air’ and carnival dance.
Top Field
Play’in Out Team
The Play’in Out team will be here to provide fun and games for all ages.
Main Lawns
Libraries
The mobile library will be on the park with a taster of what is on offer
in your local library. They will also be bringing along their
Storytelling Chair to celebrate the National Year of Reading.
Plastic Picnic
Come and see our huge plastic picnic which has been created by a number
of local schools. Add your section to the plastic picnic by making a
square out of old plastic carrier bags.
Tennis Courts
The Sports Development Team will be here to provide some fun sporting
activities with ‘The Cage’!!!
Café Terrace
There will be a number of informational stalls around the Café terrace,
including information about the restoration of the park and events and
activities that are provided by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.
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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