Chorley Council announces packed year of events in 2018
PEOPLE looking for a great day or night out in 2018 are in for another action-packed year as Chorley Council announces details of its programme of events.
After organising events that attracted over 64,000 people into the Chorley area last year, the authority is aiming to give even more people a great day out in 2018 and is urging families, couples and friends to mark the dates in their diaries and enjoy the festivities.
Councillor Peter Wilson, Deputy Leader of Chorley Council with responsibility for events, said: “We had another fantastic turnout for events last year and our aim is to continue to improve the events so that they attract even more people to the Chorley borough.
“Every year we organise a wide range of events to suit a variety of interests and tastes and it is great to see so many people joining in the fun and enjoying them.
“Our events programme covers everything from cycling to literature to flowers, music, theatre and general entertainment for the whole family and people from surrounding towns are taking notice and enjoying all that Chorley has to offer.
“It’s vitally important that we 
continue to encourage people to check out Chorley as attracting visitors generates over £176 million for the Chorley economy and encourages people to visit time and time again.”
Events taking place in Chorley in 2018 include:
• The Chorley Grand Prix on Sunday 15 April
• What’s Your Story, Chorley on Saturday 28 April
• Check Out Chorley week from Saturday 26 May including Picnic in the Park on Sunday 3 June
• A Taste of Chorley on Saturday 9 June
• Chorley Flower Show on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July
• Theatre in the Park presents The Railway Children on Sunday 12 August
• Theatre in the Park presents Pride and Prejudice on Saturday 1 September
• Chorley Live on Friday 5 and Sunday 6 October
• Ghastly Astley from Friday 26 to Wednesday 31 October
• Armistice Day – Remembrance Day on Sunday 11 November
• Chorley’s Christmas Lights Switch On on Saturday 17 November
• Astley Illuminated on Saturday 24 November
• Chorley’s Santa Express every weekend from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 23 December
In addition to the events taking place this year, Chorley Council is organising a Check Out Chorley week to encourage even more people to visit the area for a great day out. Check Out Chorley week will run from Saturday 26 May with various visitor attractions across the borough holding activities, events and promotions in support of the week.
The week will end on Sunday 3 June, with the town’s annual Picnic in the Park event brought forward to be part of the celebration.
“Check Out Chorley week is set to be a fantastic initiative where we work together with visitor attractions to put Chorley on the map and raise awareness of the great attractions we have in the borough,” added Coun Wilson.
“It will build on and utilise our visitor attraction website checkoutchorley.com which attracts over 4,000 users a month, and will culminate in the popular Picnic in the Park, which will have much more of a community focus this year.”
There are also other events taking place across the Chorley borough in 2018 including the free annual Playday at Coronation Recreation Ground on Wednesday 1 August and Botany Bay are hosting their third annual Canal Fest over the August bank holiday weekend.
For more information on events taking place in the Chorley borough as well as details of attractions to visit for a great day or night out, visit checkoutchorley.com or pick up or download the latest edition of the What’s Happening in Chorley magazine.