Festival fever will be hitting Scholes next month (August) as the community prepares to pull out all the stops with a major celebration of life.
The Scholes Festival is the latest exciting addition to the borough’s summer social calendar and with a packed programme of events and some special surprises in store, it promises to be a spectacular affair.
The event has been organised by a group of partners all who share a passion for community life in Scholes, including the One Voice Residents’ Association and local construction company Hughes Brothers Building and Joinery Ltd.
On Saturday August 22, between 10am and 5pm the festival will take place across Scholes from a number of community and social venues.
And it really does offer something for everyone.
There will be live music from hotly-tipped Wigan band The Klang, along with jazz from the Mis-Spent Youth Octet, a barbers’ shop ensemble and soloist Rebecca Aldred.
There will be art displays and taster sessions, face-painting, henna painting and other crafts.
They’ll also be plenty of action for sports fans on the day with an appearance from St Patrick’s Rugby Club and the Andy Gregory Rugby League Academy.
Mike Hughes, of Hughes Brothers Building and Joinery Ltd, who is helping to organise the event says:
“We want this to be a real community event and one thing we can all celebrate in Wigan is the borough’s tradition of fantastic sporting achievement.
“The borough’s sportsmen and women can be real role models for our young people and we want to encourage more of our young people to take an active interest in sport as a way of keeping them fit, building their confidence and keeping them off the streets.”
If you are a fan of the square ring there will be grappling action in the form of Olympic-style wrestling from the Wigan and Leigh Wrestling Club.
For budding performers there will be plenty of opportunity to find out more about how to make it in the music business with a team of record producers at Sunshine House offering a master class in how to break into the big-time.
As well as all the fun there will be help, support and advice on offer from a host of borough-based groups to residents of all ages.
The council’s Trading Standards team will be offering consumer-related tips; the road safety team will be letting people know how to stay safe on the streets; there will be money-matters from the Welcome Credit Union; healthy living advice from Ashton, Leigh & Wigan PCT, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust’s Healthy Living Team and much, much more.
Barbara Nettleton of the One Voice Residents’ Association says:
“There really will be something for everyone at the festival. It’s based in the heart of Scholes but there is an open invitation to anyone in the borough to come along and enjoy the fun.
“Our aim is to bring the community closer together by celebrating the good things in life. We want to show our young people that there is plenty for them to do and how they can get involved; we want to show our older people that we are here to help and care and we want to show everyone else how proud we are of Scholes!”
- There will be more announcements to follow about the festival line-up so watch this space!
