Words by the Water will be holding a literature festival from 9 - 18 March 2007 at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. The festival will feature workshops, book launches and special exhibitions. It will be a great opportunity for writers and readers get together to share the pleasure of books, words and ideas. For further details telephone Caroline John on 01803 867373 or email caroline@wayswithwords.co.uk.
Ska legends Bad Manners will be appearing at the Merrie England Bar on Blackpool’s North Pier on September 16.
Bolton’s first Food and Drink Festival will run from October 6 - 16. Highlights include the Bolton Beer Festival (October 11 – 15) at the Howcroft Inn and tours of the Man & Scythe pub.
A bid for funds to restore Donald Campbell’s Bluebird by his daughter Gina and Coniston’s Ruskin Museum has been rejected by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Campbell died on Coniston Water in 1967 attempting to break his own world water speed record. The Bluebird was recovered by Gina in 2001. She intended to use the funds to restore the wrecked craft and display it in the museum.
A PR campaign to capitalise on Wigan Athletic’s first season in the Premiership has been short-listed for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Local Government Group’s Campaign of the Year award.
The ‘Wigan Premier Town’ campaign was launched last year by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Wigan Council and Wigan Athletic and resulted in an extra 200,000 visitors to Wigan and an injection of £11 million into the local economy.
Blackpool Council has announced plans to build several wind turbines to help power the illuminations. The turbines will be built on the promenade, close to the Sandcastle Waterworld. It is hoped they will be operational by spring 2007.
The council already operates 2 turbines at the zero-energy Solaris Centre.
The Lowry Hotel in Manchester has been rated the 7th best business hotel in the UK by readers of Conde Nast Traveller Magazine.
Singer Christina Aguilera has announced a month-long European tour that will include an appearance at the Manchester Arena on November 23. Tickets go on sale Friday and are priced at £35, £40 and £75.
The 8th Lancaster Jazz Festival will kick off on Thursday 14 September. The 4-day event will feature a programme of local and internationally known acts performing at various venues around the city. There will be free open air performances at the weekend on Market Square and Sun Square.
The annual World Black Pudding Throwing Championships take place this Sunday at the Royal Oak Pub in Ramsbottom. Contestants from all over the world will throw black puddings at a pile of Yorkshire puddings. The winner is the one who knocks over the most Yorkshire puddings.
The popular theory is that the contest dates from the Wars of the Roses when both armies ran out of ammunition and started a food fight.