Did you go to the Festival at Bickershaw in 1972?

If so, why not come along to our 40th anniversary event?

Festival Fun

Saturday 19 May 7-9pm
Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street, Wigan

Come to a Saturday night out at the museum to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pop Festival at Bickershaw! Share your memories of this local festival, see footage of the event from the North West Film Archive, make a giant festival poster and much more!

FREE ENTRY, no need to book.
An event for all the family. There will be craft activities suitable for ages 4-11yrs.

For further information call 01942 828128 or visit www.wlct.org/heritage

This is a Museums at Night event.

Remember it well. "The Grateful Dead" from America....Fantastic.

Granada Reports 30th April

The Grateful Dead

Youtube

Youtube

I remember it
I'd just got wed and we had moved into the new bungalows on bickershaw lane we just sat outside and listened o the music
Well good it was too

I went to one at Hilton Park a few years ago starring Leo Sayer, Christ what a bloody racket

I went on the 2nd day.. apart from the music, what sticks in my mind was the mud up to your armpits and seeing a naked guy sat on one of those portable toilets.. The toilet didn't have a door on, but it didn't bother him, or anybody else either.. It was an experience

Hello jouell! Obviously, we were there at the same time! I was with a group of friends and we just went for a walk nearby one night. I can recall being in Platt Bridge waiting for my friends in my new yellow platform shoes, and seeing these bus-loads of hippies. I can recall the local shopkeepers charging the festival-goers really inflated prices for basic things like milk. I was 19, looking forward to being 20 in the coming October.....work it out!! Bus-pass here I come, but at least I'm still here to tell the tale of Bickershaw Pop Festival. Glad you are too, jouell!

I went too, I sneaked over the fence, i remember the gestapo type security with pick axe handles, they'd beat the livin' shoite out of you if they caught you, luckily I did't get caught, as I remember it pizzed down for days, and i'll never forget those toilets, Pheeew,

I went.

I remember Captain Beefheart coming on at 2.30am on a Sunday morning. Everything was running late. At the time we were trying to get some sleep, but the Captain woke everybody up...

Wonderful memories.

Builderboy: Bad Ass came with us...Where were you?

Captain Beefheart...

Captain Beefheart-Bickershaw 1972

Turbo:

Fine memories. If only It could happen again.

...I'd be there...

Was there for the whole festival, I was only 15, went with my two cousins and it an experience that has stayed with me.
The weather was horrible but it didn't bother me.

The Incredible String Band were my band at the time and to see them with Likky & Rose still with them was so sweet.

I fell asleep under plastic sheeting, that was dished out to keep off the rain, when Cpt Beefheart was on in the early hours.

Sunday was Grateful Dead who played all afternoon and I didn't really appreciate them at the time nor did the rest of the folk as I remember being one of very few who watched them to the end.

Bennie: ISB were good and so was Donovan.

I thought Family stole the show on Saturday evening.

The Kinks were very entertaining as well.

Ray Davies was off his head ,wasn't he Jarvo? I can't remember anything about their set tbh.

Family I do remember and it was a powerhouse performance.

and a merry time was had by all

Ray Davis was well gone, but carried it off, just about...

His brother Dave took the lead and was the star of the show...

I remember we nearly died of thirst but managed to get 20 No6 between four of us.

We got cans of Coke late on and fish and chips. Cost us 50p...Very expensive at the time.

I remember on the Friday night a bloke diving off a high board into a shallow barrel.
He survived.

...Others, sat in the soaking freezing fields, didn't...

Mum took me on the sunday,bought a flute off one of the orange robed hari krishna lot.

Another photo of the festivities

We have another upcoming event at the Museum of Wigan Life related to the festival. The details are:

'When the West Coast USA Music Dream came to Wigan- Bickershaw Festival 1972' By Chris Hewitt

Thursday 24 May
6.30-7.45pm

This talk will examine who conceived the idea of the festival, who worked on the festival, why it was so important to festival culture and the counter culture, why it was so important to North West England and its ongoing festival scene.

It will also cover the acts that played, how their performances at Bickershaw are considered now, important and interesting people who were in the audience as youngsters and how Bickershaw ignited a flame.

Please book by calling 01942 828128. Price £2.50 (including light refreshments).

I was there! I remember the rain and the mud and feeling part of something unique.

Bickershaw Pop Festival 40th Anniversary

ive still got 2 programmes in mint condition from there

Dear HeritageService,

But - the Music DIDN'T come to Wigan at all. It came to Bickershaw, which, back in 1972 wasn't even under Wigan Council, never mind in Wigan itself.

Yours Mockingly,
Tonker.

Tell the truth and shame the devil!