Leigh Folk Festival
It is registered as a UK charity, devoted to "further[ing] public education and understanding of traditional and contemporary folk arts including: Music, Dance, Spoken word (poetry and storytelling)".[7] Leigh Folk Festival evolved over time, and now hosts around 200 performers a year, across 20 venues, with an attendance of around 20,000 people over four days.[9] In 2016 as part of its fundraising it successfully launched a Crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 to ensure the festival could remain free.[12] In 2017 the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary, commemorating the occasion with a special edition album named 'Dog Days, Devil Fish & Darkest England' released only on vinyl.Notable performances at the festival have included Digby Fairweather, Martin Carthy, Alasdair Roberts, Trembling Bells,,[John Otway], [Arfur Doo And The Toe Rags], [The Famous Potatoes], Dagenham Girl Pipers,[16] You Are Wolf, The Owl Service (band), Stick in the Wheel, Richard Digance, Missing Andy,[14] The Copper Family, Shirley Collins, Michael Chapman, Wizz Jones, Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell and Dick Gaughan.