Much more than digging …… much more than a music fest!

The Blockheads, Merry Hell and Barnstormer 1649 (featuring Attila The Stockbroker) will top the bill at this year’s festival commemorating the locally born pioneer socialist thinker and 17th century Diggers’ movement leader Gerrard Winstanley.

Our 8th annual FREE festival also features a fantastic line up of other acts over two stages including:

The Commoners’ Choir, Joe Solo, Bard Company, Patrick McKenzie, The Amber List, Gerry Ffrench, T E Yates, Jupiter Hollow Blues Band, Rare Oul’ Times, Joe Astley, Brandon Lee Webb Band and Eliza P & The Disco Misfits.

The event will start as traditionally with a symbolic digging re-enactment in Gerrard Winstanley Gardens, with guest actor Brendan Delaney playing the role of the Wigan born radical, who repeats some of his famous words from April 1649.

As on previous occasions he will be accompanied by members of the Bolton Clarion Socialist Choir who will lead the singing of Winstanley’s “Diggers’ Song” and “The World Turned Upside Down” by Leon Rosselson, a song which tells the story of The Diggers, made famous by Billy Bragg.

There will also be a range of other activities including entertainment for children, the details of which have yet to be finalised. Watch out for updates in the coming weeks including details of the various educational talks and guest appearances at this year’s festival.

Please help us publicise this year’s event by sharing this post on social media. Copies of this year’s festival flyer are also available for distribution at your workplace, union branch or in your locality. Please e-mail: wigandiggers@gmail.com for copies if you’d like some.