Plans revealed for festival to celebrate Wigan borough's mining heritage

Healthy Arts, in partnership with volunteers at the Lancashire Mining Museum, will host the inaugural The Mine Is Yours festival on Saturday, October 1 at the former Astley Green Colliery site.

It will start at 11am with a parade of former miners with colliery banners and a brass band, echoing the old miners’ galas of yesteryear.

This will be followed by entertainment including live music, short theatre performances celebrating the history and importance of the mining industry, poetry readings, exhibitions and street performers.

There will also be craft workshops and all the attractions of the museum itself, including the steam engine, reproduction miner’s cottage and train rides.

Refreshments will be available to buy or people can take along a picnic, as well as fold-up chairs or blankets.

Entry to the event is free thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, plus investment from Wigan Council and Peel L&P.

National Lottery players have the chance to be selected for a VIP area, which will have live entertainment and refreshments from 3pm to 5pm. People should take along a recent lottery ticket to be entered into a draw for a place.

As part of the festival there will be a staffed access consultation area, where people can give their views on making Lancashire Mining Museum more disabled and access friendly.

Free tickets to the festival can be booked online or at the museum.

Anyone needing priority seating or wishing to use the disabled parking area is asked to email [email protected] or phone 07542 114383.