Wigan Diggers Festival returns - celebrating socialist hero Gerrard Winstanley

The leader of the 17th century Diggers movement is celebrated in the day-long event, running from 11.30am to 9.30pm, offering music, poetry, ideas and discussions – all for free, which would certainly be approved by the influential political thinker, perhaps best known for his assertion that “The Earth is a common treasury for all”.

Alternating between two stages, the music includes local, regional and nationally-recognised artists.

Finishing the event will be Headsticks, a punk-folk four-piece who have played festivals the length and breadth of the UK over the summer.

They will be supported by, among others, local folk-rock band, Vision Thing, classic blues band, McHale’s Permanent Brew, the protest voices of Commoners Choir and musical satire from Bard Company – in among an eclectic mix of indie pop, performance poetry, singer-songwriters, folk bands, rock bands and more!

The legacy of Wigan-born Gerrard Winstanley will be the subject of talks and discussions at The Museum of Wigan Life and the Parish Church, including acclaimed film maker, Ken Loach, Ben Kinmont, a member of the provocatively radical California Diggers of the 1960s, who provided free food to the needy, alongside street theatre, anarchic direct action, and art happenings and local activist Lisa Croft introducing Wigan’s proud links to The International Brigade.

There will also be the annual presentation of the Diggers Spade Award to an individual who has, in the opinion of the organising committee, made a positive contribution to making the world a fairer and better place.

Previous recipients have included the much-missed politician, Tony Benn and green writer and campaigner, George Monbiot.

The event is organized by volunteers and funded largely by donations and sales of special Diggers’ Beers on the day, they hope that, through the festival, more of the people of Wigan will become aware of the history and ideas of Gerrard Winstanley and take pride in his influence on political thought around the world.

Last year’s festival was cancelled at the 11th hour following the death of Queen Elizabeth.