Leigh Civic Square’s free launch brings circus acts

Leigh’s revamped Civic Square will open with a free public launch event on Saturday, 12 September, from 11am to 3pm. The celebration at Civic Square in Leigh town centre will combine outdoor performances, live music and hands-on craft activities for residents and visitors.

Entry is free and the Civic Square Launch Event is open to the general public. Wigan Council has not provided separate booking instructions, so visitors should use the confirmed public opening details when planning their day.

Circus theatre and live performance in the square

Two outdoor productions will form the centrepiece of the four-hour programme. One is a contemporary circus theatre show, while the other brings together musicians, dancers and cooks from around the world for a live production.

The programme also includes a jelly-printing session delivered by The Turnpike Centre. Wigan and Leigh Archive Service will run a LEGO building project, adding another creative activity to the opening-day schedule.

The council has not published individual performance times within the 11am-to-3pm window. Visitors hoping to see a particular production should therefore plan around the overall event hours rather than an unconfirmed running order.

What visitors will find in the new-look Civic Square

The launch follows a major redesign intended to make Civic Square a more welcoming place to meet, relax and attend community events. The completed work includes new paving and seating, improved landscaping, enhanced lighting and other public-realm features.

Local history has been built into the redesigned space. Working with the Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Heritage Group, the project created a timeline recording milestones connected with the square from 1762 to the present day.

A poem by Leigh Young Writers, developed with local poets Louise Fazackerley and Natasha Tingle, has been engraved into the paving. The Pete Shelley Memorial Group is also due to plant a cherry tree within its memorial garden, while the square’s Believe Stars have been refreshed. A new star for Leigh band The Lottery Winners is set to be installed.

Civic Square has previously hosted events including the Women’s Euros fan park, Leigh Leopards’ Challenge Cup homecoming, Light Night and Leigh Feast food markets. Wigan Council says further community events are planned for the refreshed space over the coming months.

The wider changes taking shape across Leigh

The square forms a central part of the £11.4 million Leigh Regeneration Project funded by the UK Government. The wider programme includes grants to improve town-centre shop fronts and a planned refurbishment of Leigh Market.

Significant work on the market is expected to begin in early 2027. Following discussions with traders, the market is due to operate from temporary units inside Spinning Gate shopping centre once work starts at the existing market hall.

Councillor Dane Anderton, Wigan Council’s portfolio holder for economic development and regeneration, said community groups had helped redesign Civic Square and that the finished space would be able to accommodate different events in the future.

Confirmed details for Saturday’s launch

• Event: Civic Square Launch Event
• Date: Saturday, 12 September 2026
• Time: 11am to 3pm
• Venue: Civic Square, Leigh town centre
• Price: Free
• Entry: Open to the public
• Programme: Circus theatre, an international live production, jelly printing and LEGO building

The council announcement does not include transport guidance, accessibility arrangements, food-stall information or a detailed performance timetable. The confirmed plan is for activities and outdoor performances to run at Civic Square between 11am and 3pm.

Source: Wigan Council