Nature themed family event returns to Pennington Flash
Flashes Festival
The popular Flashes Festival of Nature will return to Pennington Flash as part of a bumper weekend of entertainment.
The celebration of nature with fun for all the family will take place on Sunday, 6 July, including adventure activities and outdoor arts, workshops, art stalls, performances and a funfair.
It will cap an amazing weekend at the Flash, with the visit of THE HERDS taking place on Saturday, 5 July, as part of Manchester International Festival.
Councillor Chris Ready, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “This festival is a fun and enjoyable free event for all the family that showcases that we’re proud of wonderful local wildlife and habitats.
“The Flash is part of our National Nature Reserve and this weekend provides an opportunity to celebrate what we have on our doorsteps here in Wigan Borough.
“It’s all set to be a brilliant weekend with THE HERDS also coming to the Flash on the Saturday.”
The festival is an annual celebration of the nature and bio-diversity of the borough’s flashes. A host of workshops, entertainment, crafts and markets will also be part of the line-up.
It is being preceded by THE HERDS – an eye-catching collection of wildlife puppets – calling in at Pennington Flash for performances on the Saturday.
The visit of THE HERDS to the borough is part of the Manchester International Festival, highlighting the impact of climate change and a warning about animals having to flee their natural habitats.
The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh is a chain of eight separate wetland habitats running through Wigan Borough, all created by the subsidence of land on former coal mining sites.
It was awarded National Nature Reserve status – the only NNR in Greater Manchester - in recognition of its ecological importance.
It is home to an abundance of wildlife, some unique to the area.
For more information the Flashes Festival of Nature and the visit of THE HERDS, please visit Visit Wigan (external link).
Posted on Tuesday 10th June 2025