Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The date has been announced for next year’s Run Wigan Festival – and organisers hope it will be even bigger than before.

The event returns to Wigan’s Mesnes Park on Sunday, March 17 with a half marathon, 5k and family mile.

Registration is now open, with reduced prices for the first 300 entries to the half marathon and 100 entries to the 5k race.

Last-minute entries pushed the number of people taking part in this year’s festival to more than 1,600, with £13,000 raised for charity Joining Jack, which funds research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

And it is hoped the 2024 event will “smash” registration numbers from the previous year, raising even more money.

Police issue security alert after surge in Wigan high performance car thefts fol...

A charity spokesman said: “What a fantastic day at the 2023 HW Moon Toyota Wigan Run Wigan Festival in March. Hundreds of runners taking part in our half marathon, 5k and family mile races, hundreds of supporters at our new event HQ, good weather and a terrific £13,000 raised for our organising charity Joining Jack.

"Our brand new location over at Mesnes Park (we are staying right there in 2024) proved a big hit with a heart-warming party in the park atmosphere for Joining Jack and the running community. We had plenty of people grabbing last minute registrations at the JJ info desk taking our final total of runners to more than 1,600! But we want to smash that in 2024!”

Entry currently costs £26 for the half marathon and £14 for the 5k. Find out more or register at runwiganfestivals.co.uk.

Rush for discounted places as registration opens for Run Wigan Festival 2024