An invitation to, and  details of this year’s Wigan Diggers’ Festival on Saturday 13th September. #WiganDiggersFest

The event will take place between 11.00am and 9.30pm in The Wiend area of Wigan town centre. (see location map below)

The organisers are promising another free all day fun packed open air event to commemorate Wigan born Gerrard Winstanley (1609-1676) and the 17th Century “Diggers” (True Leveller) movement.

Winstanley and they famously asserted: “The Earth was made a common treasury for all, irrespective of person!” and are described by Tony Benn as “the first true Socialists”.

Last year’s festival was another resounding success with over 2,000 people attending during the course of the day. We hope this year’s will be too.

2014 DIGGERS’ FESTIVAL PERFORMERS

The day’s running order has yet to be fully finalised, however, confirmed as performing are:

BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners: The Lucy Ward Band

Merry Hell

Jade Assembly

Run Out The Guns

Second Hand Wings

Liverpool Socialist Singers 

Bolton Clarion Choir 

Laura Taylor

Ian Whiteley

Joan Blackburn

Pray for the Weekend 

Avital Raz

Our Morals 

Tony Kinsella 

Anvil Steel Drums 

Ken Scally 

Joy France 

Black Velvet 

Maelor l’anson-Hughes 

Terry Kinney

Means to an End

Jefferama

Gordon Zola

John McDonnell MP, Chair of the Labour Representation Committee and Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs will officially open this year’s Diggers’ Festival on 13th September. He will also talk about the lasting influence of Gerrard Winstanley & ‘The Diggers’ on today’s working class movement.

Author and TV Documentary film maker David Malone will be giving a talk on the influence of Gerrard Winstanley’s ideas on the later radical thinkers of the French & American Revolutions.

Actor John Graham Davies will once again play the role of Diggers leader, and historic Wiganer, Gerrard Winstanley, in a symbolic digging re-enactment at around 11.30am in The Wiend area, close to The Face of Wigan statue.

There will also be a puppet show telling of the story of the 17th Century Diggers and an all day children’s arts and craft area.

All the above of course is in addition to 40 or more food, book and other stalls and our ever popular “Occu-pie Wigan” beer tent.

More details to follow a.s.a.p:

See also our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/WiganDiggersFestival

If you would like to book a stall for your organisation, community group, co-operative or small business then please download the file via the link provided, complete as appropriate, and then return to the address provided.

https://wigandiggersfestival.org/booking-a-stall/diggers-stall-application

More details to follow a.s.a.p:

Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/550650368389097/

Twitter: @WiganDigger  #WiganDiggersFest

Location Map