As part of the Winter Hill 125 Commemoration, the Cap and Dove mobile arts centre will visit Smithills Hall on Sunday 5 September 2021, 11am to 3pm.
Bolton Library and Museum Services, in partnership with artist Joshua Sofaer, the Octagon Theatre and the Woodland Trust, will host a special one-day festival of arts and heritage.
This family festival will feature Cap & Dove, a mini arts centre on wheels, housing a tiny theatre, museum and shop. The Cap & Dove interior incorporates references to Greater Manchester’s social history and includes custom-printed curtains designed by Zaynah Arif, a student on the Textiles & Surface Design degree course at the University of Bolton.
The festival will also feature a “Sing for Change” workshop led by musicians from the Octagon Theatre, a fun, outdoor adventure for children by Rusticus Arts, a banner making workshop with Cath Ford, and a performance by northern folk singer Johnny Campbell.
Throughout the day, the Woodland Trust and Bolton arts organisation Live from Worktown will be promoting their new Trespass Trail.
Starting and ending at Smithills Hall, this audio trail follows the route of the 1896 mass trespass when thousands of local people marched in protest after Colonel Richard Ainsworth, owner of the Smithills Estate, closed off access to the moors.
On the way, visitors will meet some of the characters involved in the original march, as well as passing several key locations.
Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member with responsibility for Libraries, Cllr Hilary Fairclough, said:
“This will a fun filled day for all the family with so many varied activities and an opportunity to learn some social history along the way.
“It’s also mostly outdoors at Smithills Country Park, which makes us all feel safer as there is less risk of people passing on COVID.”
The event is free - there is no need to book. Cap & Dove has been funded by Greater Manchester Arts.