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Leigh festival to be hottest ever!
Colour, light, sounds and the rhythm of
Samba to Spanish clapping will be filling Leigh Town Hall Square for 4
days at the end of July.
Hot On The Square – Leigh will take place between Wednesday 23rd July
and Friday 25th July and will be the pre-curser to what is the main
event – the Leigh Multi Cultural Festival, which takes place on the
Saturday (26th July).
‘Its great to see the square come alive every year’. Says Wigan Leisure
and Culture Trust Arts and Festival Manager – Chris Wyatt.
‘’Over the 4 days, people will experience everything from Flamenco and
Samba to brass and drumming. All in all, two great events, that come
together to bring Leigh and its new communities closer together’.
Hot on the Square will provide a number of opportunities for the
creative within the community. Each day between 12 noon and 2.00pm,
there will be flag and banner making and The Creative Café – a Café,
organised by the Greater Manchester Art and Health Network that combines
art and craft with a health message.
There will be performances by international artists. Including Greek
dance from Acrobats of Silence. Clowning from Pinezka and traditional
brass band music from the ‘Don’t Panic Brass Band’ both of which
originate from Poland. From Martinique comes carnival and folk dancing
by Foyer Rural de Bois. Officinia Punchenella Street Theatre Project
from Italy will provide more in the way of circus skills whilst from
Portugal comes Kompanhia Multicultural Diaspora - a contemporary and
traditional dance and music group.
Local performances will by way of; Imperial Feat - a young street dance
group from Astley and Tyldesley. Also from Tyldesley are young people’s
dance group, Spirit Stage Academy.
Sue Powell Green will be belly dancing and providing an interactive
workshop. Plus there will be Maracatu & Samba rhythms from the Wigan
based Anvil Street Drummers.
Chris is confident that the 2008 event will be the biggest and best one
yet. ‘In the past we have attracted over 2,000 people to the Hot On The
Square daily programmes and I am sure that we can get just as many
people to this year’s festival and get them in the party mood ready for
the finale on the Saturday’.
Now in its second year, the Leigh Multi Cultural Festival will carry on
the fun and high spirit with repeat performances from a number of the
artists who appeared during the first 3 days plus; African Musician &
Singer Letwin Berebende. Samba Magic from Lowton. Step Beyond – a street
dance group from Westleigh High School. Traditional dancing by the Wigan
& Leigh Kurdish Cultural Association. From Germany - Roots & Routes, a
funky and energetic show with different dance styles including B-Boying,
Popping and Locking. 25 energetic drummers from Portugal called Eclodir
Azul and from Spain, Ballet Entredanzas with their fantastic flamenco
show.
On top of the art and the performances, the Library Street Car Park will
have up to 20 local community stalls promoting local services,
opportunities and activities.
‘The festivals are organised to have two key aims. Firstly we want
everybody to be entertained and have a great time and secondly we want
to use culture to promote cohesion. Leigh and its surrounding
neighbourhoods are growing with new ethnic communities and we want to
welcome these new residents.’
‘Both the Hot On The Square and the Leigh Multicultural Festival should
bring all residents together as one big Leigh celebration – The
community celebrating the community’. Said Chris Wyatt.
For more information on the events contact Wigan Tourist Information
Centre: 01942 825677. Or visit
www.wlct.org/festivalfever Admission to the events is free.
-ends-
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this press release please
contact Keith L Bergman (Wigan Tourism Unit), on 01942 486951 (mobile:
07958 461421) or at
k.bergman@wlct.org Alternatively contact Phil Green, Public
Relations Officer for Wigan Council on 01942 827369.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES: WLCT Arts and Festivals are happy to arrange photo
opportunities and provide access to performers and to the events
themselves. Access to some events will require Press Passes. Passes are
available by contacting Keith L Bergman.
Festival Fever 2008. Is organised by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust,
Arts and Festivals Unit with the support of Arts Council England.
Festival Fever brings together a season of events for Wigan Borough.
Including: Haigh Festival (6th July). Wigan International Jazz Festival
(11th – 19th July). Hot on the Square (23rd – 25th July). WOW Festival
(Sunday 3rd August). Wigan Food and Drink Festival. (3rd – 13th
October). For further information:
www.wlct.org/festivalfever
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
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