For full details of all special and regular events and festivals, pick up a What’s On brochure at your local library or visit What's On (external link)
Arts
Turnpike Gallery, Leigh.
01942 404469
Sat 13th Mar to Sat 17 Apr
ANNUAL OPEN EXHIBITION
Amateur and professional artists from across Wigan borough.
Sat 20 Mar, 10am - 3pm
WEAVING FOR ADULTS
Explore the possibilities of weaving without a loom. £12.
Thu 1, Tues 6, Thu 8 Apr, 10:30am - 12:30pm
EASTER ACTIVITIES
Artist-led workshops for 5-12s. Booking essential. £1.
Sat 17 Apr, 10am - 3pm
PAPER SCULPTURE FOR ADULTS
Create a beautiful 3-D paper-cut sculpture of a bird, flower or castle. £12.
Parks and countryside
Booking essential on numbers listed
Wed 17 Mar, 1pm
ALEXANDRA PARK HISTORY WALK
Learn about the history of Wigan’s Green Flag park. Meet at bus stop gates on Warrington Road.
Sat 20 Mar, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
FUN AND GAMES
Pennington Flash.
Learn about the wildlife that lives in the park. 01942 605253.
Wed 24 Mar, 1:30pm - 3pm
WATERCOLOUR PAINTING
Three Sisters.
Paint your own watercolour of Three Sisters. 01942 720453.
Sat 27 Mar, 10am
SIGNS OF SPRING GUIDED WALKS
Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve.
Uncover the telltale signs of spring with Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Meet at Welham Road by Hawkley Hall High School. 01942 233976.
Sun 28 Mar, 9:30am - 12pm
SPRING WATCH PART 1
Pennington Flash.
Look for early summer migrants and signs of spring. Meet at the Information Centre. 01942 605253
Mon 29 Mar, 1:30pm - 4pm
BOAT RACE
Pennington Flash.
Make your own boat out of scrap wood. 01942 605253.
Sat 3 Apr, 1:30pm - 3pm
EASTER CRAFTS AND EASTER PUZZLE AT CENTRAL PARK, ATHERTON
Crafts for all ages. 01942 720453.
Sun 4 Apr, 1pm
ROLL YER EGG AT MESNES PARK
Test your skills in the annual egg painting and rolling competition. 01942 245369.
Sun 4 Apr, 1pm - 3pm
HAIGH EASTER FUN
Make an Easter basket and decorate an egg. Age 5+.
01942 832895.
Mon 5 Apr, 12pm - 3pm
HAIGH EASTER BUNNY TRAIL
Turn up anytime between 12 and 3pm to hunt the bunnies and complete the puzzle. 01942 832895.
Fri 9 Apr, 2pm - 3:30pm
POND DIPPING AT PENNINGTON FLASH.
Get your hands wet at Pennington Flash and investigate the hidden depths. 01942 605253.
Mon 12 and Wed 14 Apr, 8pm, Sat 24 and Mon 26 Apr, 8pm
URBAN FOXES IN MESNES PARK
Learn about the life of the fox - You might be lucky enough to see one! Places limited. 01942 245369.
Mon 12 Apr, 9:30am - 11:30am
WHAT’S THAT BIRD
Meet at Horrock’s Hide, Pennington Flash. 01942 605253.
Sat 24 Apr, 1:30pm - 4pm
BYROM HALL WALK
Walk round Pennington Flash with a detour past the 16th century Byrom Hall. 01942 605253.
Sat 24 Apr, 7am
DAWN CHORUS WALK AND BREAKFAST
Wigan Flashes
Get up with the lark then come and hear one. Meet at Welham Road by Hawkley Hall School.
01942 233796.
Haigh Hall
01942 832895 to book except where otherwise stated
Sun 14 Mar, 12pm
MOTHER’S DAY SUNDAY LUNCH
Adults £19.95, Children £9.95 (Ages 3 - 12 ). Lunch from 12pm inside the Hall. Early booking essential.
Sun 25 Apr, 12-3pm
Borsdane and Back
Circular walk from Haigh Country Park to Borsdane Wood along six miles of quiet footpaths.
Heritage events
Booking essential on Heritage (external link)
Tue 13 Apr, 11am - 12pm
CARVED IN STONE
Lower Ince Cemetery, Ince.
Discover the characters and famous names who once lived in your area.
01942 828128. £2.
Mon 19th Apr, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
MEET THE ARCHIVIST AND GET YOUR HANDS ON THE PAST
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street, Wigan.
Meet borough archivist, Alex Miller, and discover the work of the archives service. 01942 828128.
Wed 28th Apr, 11:00am - 12:00pm
LEIGH HERITAGE WALK
Turnpike Centre foyer, Leigh.
Discover Leigh’s intriguing past in this gentle walk around town.
01942 404559. £2.
Leisure Venues
Sat 20 Mar, 7:15pm
1920s AND 1930s SOCIAL DANCE EVENING
Formby Hall, Atherton.
Dance to the authentic sounds of the Footloose Dance Orchestra.
Jan Mentha 01223 502090 or email Information - Footloose Dance Orchestra. £7.50.
Thu 1st Apr, 11am
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Lowton Civic Hall.
Special Easter attraction. Direct from last Summer’s season at North Pier Theatre, Blackpool
07810 840 422. £6.
Sports & Healthy Living
Sun 21 Mar, 9am - 5pm
DICKINSON’S REAL DEAL
Robin Park Sports Centre
Call for more information or to tell us about your items on 0117 970 7618 or just turn up on the day. With ITV1. Free.
Community events
Tue 16 Mar to Sat 20 Mar
TRAP FOR A LONELY MAN
Tyldesley Little Theatre, Lemon Street, Tyldesley.
By Robert Thomas, directed by Glenn Robinson. A man tries to convince the police that his new bride is missing - presumed murdered. 01204 655619.
Thu 18 Mar, 8pm
ATHERTON & DISTRICT AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
The Clubroom, Back Stanley Street, Atherton
Steve Gosling: Lensless Landscapes.
Society meets most Thursdays; new members always welcome. Information - A&D Amateur Photographic Society
Fri 19 Mar, 8pm – 11.30pm (and most Fridays)
LEIGH PHOENIX
Leigh Miners Welfare Club, Kirby Road, off Twist Lane.
For over 45s, divorced, widowed or separated. 01942 222537 or visit Leigh Phoenix (external link)
£2.50 (member) £3.50 (visitor).
Sat 20 Mar, 7.30pm (and most Saturdays)
WIGAN PHOENIX
St Wilfrid’s Parish Hall, Church Street, Standish.
For over 45, divorced, widowed or separated. Make new friends in a safe atmosphere.
Wigan Phoenix (external link)
£2.50 (member) £3.50 (visitor).
Sat 20 March, 7.30pm
WIGAN CHORAL SOCIETY
St Michael’s, Swinley
Handel’s Messiah
01257 400852 for information and tickets.
Sat 20 Mar, 8am
RSPB - SATURDAY BIRD WATCHING VISIT
Marbury, Cheshire.
Kathy Jones on 01695 624860 or Doreen Marriott on 01942 712766.
Wed 7 Apr
WIGAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Upper Morris Street Working Men’s Club, off Greenough Street.
Andrew Myers - Prehistoric Mellor. Wigan Archaeological Society (external link)
£3 (visitors).
Wed 7 Apr to Sat 17 Apr, 7.30pm
JANE EYRE
Wigan Little Theatre, Crompton Street, Wigan.
An adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s powerful story. Box office 01942 242561 (open the week before the show commences between Mon - Fri and during the show Mon - Sat between 7pm and 9pm. £8, Conc £6.
Fri 9 Apr, 7.30pm
LEIGH ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Derby Room, Leigh Library.
Eagles in Scotland and Ireland. Illustrated talk by Alan Fielding. 01942 874956. Leigh Ornithological Society (external link)
Tues 20 Apr – Sat 24 Apr, 7.15pm
HOUSE GUEST
St Joseph’s Players, St Joseph’s Hall, Chapel St, Leigh
Thriller by Francis Durbridge.
£7 (16yrs and under, £4) pay on the door. 01942 604603.
Sat 24 Apr, 7:30pm
WIGAN MUSIC SOCIETY
Trinity United Reformed Church, Milton Grove, Cherry Gardens, Wigan.
In Triplicate - Flute, Oboe, Piano.
£6 (conc £5), Members £5 (conc £4), Students £1.
01942 462138 and 01942 238520.
11-15 May, 7.30pm
Lowton Civic Hall
The Three Towns Operatic Society presents The Gondoliers
£8 & £10. 01942 883722 for more information.
