RETRO: a gallery of pictures from Wigan carnivals over the years

By Michelle Adamson

Published 29th Jun 2023, 15:45 BST

Carnivals used to be a major part of the Wigan borough events calendar with most communities hosting their own at some time in the summer.

Here we look back to a selection of these once hugely popular events, with pictures from the Wigan Today archives covering several decades.

The Wigan Lions at Wigan Carnival in 1977.

1. 1977

The Wigan Lions at Wigan Carnival in 1977. Photo: STAFF

The huge crowd gathered in Standishgate to watch the Wigan Carnival parade pass by in 1977.

2. 1977

The huge crowd gathered in Standishgate to watch the Wigan Carnival parade pass by in 1977. Photo: STAFF

CLOWNING AROUND...Barbara Arnold, left, Ghislane Coleman and Sheila Lyon, of St Thomas' CE Church Sunday Club, get in the mood at the Golborne May Queen Carnival. The three, members of the Carnival Committee, were collecting for St Thomas' School Building and Maintainance Fund.

3. 1997

CLOWNING AROUND...Barbara Arnold, left, Ghislane Coleman and Sheila Lyon, of St Thomas' CE Church Sunday Club, get in the mood at the Golborne May Queen Carnival. The three, members of the Carnival Committee, were collecting for St Thomas' School Building and Maintainance Fund. Photo: NICK FAIRHURST

Mr. Blobby and the crew from the Showboat Amusements float at Wigan Carnival on Saturday 12th of June 1993.

4. 1993

Mr. Blobby and the crew from the Showboat Amusements float at Wigan Carnival on Saturday 12th of June 1993. Photo: Frank Orrell