EVENTS taking place in Blackburn, Burnley, Darwen, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale for Wednesday, April 20 and the days ahead.

What's on today

9.30am - A women's network group is opening a new branch in Burnley. The Pink Link Ladies, which has bases in Blackburn, Preston, Lancaster, Chorley and Blackpool, will be run in Burnley by Catherine Curry. It is being launched at the Higher Trapp Hotel, Trapp Lane.

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

1.30pm and 4.30pm - Video footage of rock’n’roll legends performing in East Lancashire has formed a new exhibition. The Haworth Art Gallery will unveil an installation called Remember Th’Imp in memory of the Nelson Imperial Ballroom. The venue played host in the 1960s to bands including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. The exhibition by music production student, John ‘Bernie’ Fullalove from Clayton-Le-Moors, recreates its golden years with video footage and memorabillia. The one-day only exhibition is free.

2pm - The BBC TV show Big Howard and the animated six year old Little Howard are bursting out of the TV set and onto the Burnley Mechanics stage with sing-a-long songs, innovative 3D animation and hilarious interactive stand-up. Tickets £8 and £10.

7pm - Alasdair Roberts performs at Grand Theatre, Clitheroe. Described ‘one of Britain’s most singular and original talents’ by music magazine Roots. Tickets £10. 01200 421599.

7.30pm - The Accrington Clef Club perform at in the lecture hall of Accrington Library, St James’s Street. For more information, contact the club on 01254 823331.

7.30pm - A candlelight concert to mark Holy Week will be given by the Renaissance Singers in Blackburn Cathedral. Called Tenebrae: A Journey into Darkness, it will feature a mix of poetry, choral and organ music on the themes of the Passion. During the performance, candles will be extinguished.

8pm - Rock and pop at Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn. from local bands: Martin Cooper and The Sunday Club, Frixion urban pop boy band, Stacia Mae, India Mill rock band, Nikki Conway — Blackburn Lions 2010 Search For A Star winner, and Beth Evans jazz pop singer. Tickets £8, £10 on the door. 01254 685500.

Thursday, April 21

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

7pm - A meeting about plans for a gay pride festival in Burnley takes place at Guys as Dolls. The idea to hold East Lancashire’s first such event was floated earlier this year and more than 200 people have now joined a Facebook group supporting the idea for a festival this summer.

Friday, April 22

11am to 4pm - An Easter ‘Eggstravaganza’ will be held in Witton Country Park, in Blackburn. Children can follow a free prize treasure trail.

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

Noon-5.30pm - The 40th Higham arts and crafts festival is set to take place at the village hall. The four-day spectacular features helicopter displays on the Saturday, kite making and a raffle.

12.30pm - 4.45pm - Turton Tower is hosting an Easter Treasure Hunt. It is also hostong a Royal Wedding special event in the Victorian Kitchen Tea Room, which has been given a facelift.

1pm - Meet at Memorial Park for a 3-mile ‘food forage feast’ in Great Harwood at 1pm.

4pm-5pm - Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle will be holding an advice surgery at Burnley Asda. To book an appointment, email gordon@burnleylibdems.org.uk.

Saturday, April 23

10am - A charity Giant Easter Egg Treasure Hunt at Clitheroe Castle Grounds takes place. Pick up your map from the castle gate for £1.50 per child. For further details contact 01282 680717.

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

Noon-5.30pm - The 40th Higham arts and crafts festival is set to take place at the village hall. The four-day spectacular features helicopter displays on the Saturday, kite making and a raffle.

1pm-8pm - A festival to celebrate St George's Day will take place in Colne. The free family event featuring music and entertainment will run in the town centre. There will also be fairground rides, face-painting and donkey rides to keep children entertained.

2pm - The Easter Bunny will visit Nelson Manor Care Home, Barkerhouse Road, for an Easter egg hunt. Other attractions include an Easter bonnet contest, games and stalls. Residents of the new 70-bed home are baking cakes and making craft items to sell, with proceeds going towards trips and outings.

3pm-4am - Some of the area’s best local bands will help celebrate St George’s Day with special event at Blackburn’s North Bar. Among the bands playing live at The Day for England event will be Into the Black, Cassinin Club, India Mill, Sky Valley Mistress, The Shade, Matt Frayne and Skip the Jew. The evening will be a celebration of Factory Records.

4pm - Jerry Sanden will sing songs from the 1960s as part of the St George’s Day celebrations at the Clifton Arms, Blackburn. The singer will take to the stage at the Grimshaw Park pub at around 4pm. His performance will be followed by karaoke from 7pm and a free potato pie supper will be served.

5pm - In Burnley the National Blues Day will be held at the Mechanics. Artists lined up include Luther Allison, Aynsley Lister and Chantel McGregor. From Good Friday there will be a series of fringe events held at different venues around the town.

6pm - PCSO Peter Wilcock will be giving an update on moves to tackle vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Central and Spring Hill at the Police and Community Together meeting at Fairfield Street Community Centre, Accrington.

7.15pm - PCSO Peter Wilcock will be giving an update on moves to tackle vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Central and Spring Hill at the Police and Community Together meeting at at Sure Start, Rimington Avenue, Accrington.

Sunday, April 24

11am until 4pm - Samlesbury Hall is hosting an Easter Extravaganza, with Punch and Judy, magic, face painting and lots more. Entry £2.

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

Noon-5.30pm - The 40th Higham arts and crafts festival is set to take place at the village hall. The four-day spectacular features helicopter displays on the Saturday, kite making and a raffle.

12.45pm - A 'The Parable of the Bridesmaids' service, led by Andy Williams, minister at Sion Baptist Church, takes place at Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre, Barden Lane. Soup and rolls served.

1pm - An Easter egg hunt is to be held at Cherry Tree Cricket Club in Blackburn. The event costs £5 per child.

1pm-4pm - There will be an Easter egg hunt in the grounds of Gawthorpe Hall. Entry costs £1.50 per child, accompanied by an adult.

2pm-4pm - A trumpet fanfare will herald the start of the annual easter egg rolling at Hoghton Tower. Eggs are provided for you to decorate, with prizes for the winners. The house will be open for guided tours from 1pm to 5pm.

2pm - Supporters are being urged to sponsor ducks for the annual charity race at Wycoller Park, near Colne. Each duck is priced at £1, with all proceeds going towards this summer’s Trawden Show. There will also be egg painting at Pepper Hill Barn.

2pm-4pm - The Friends of Memorial Park in Padiham will host an Easter egg hunt in the park. On arrival, call at the park cafe for details.

3pm - Families are invited to a party at Whitworth’s Riverside Community Centre. The event includes party games, a disco and Easter bonnet competition. Tickets cost £4 for adults, £3 for children and £15 for a family ticket. For more information, call 01706 854130.

Monday, April 25

7am -A dawn chorus walk at Arden Hall and Peel Park, Accrington, takes place.

11am until 4pm - Samlesbury Hall is hosting an Easter Extravaganza, with Punch and Judy, magic, face painting and lots more. Entry £2.

11am-8pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems. The fair will run until Tuesday, April 26.

Noon-5.30pm - The 40th Higham arts and crafts festival is set to take place at the village hall. The four-day spectacular features helicopter displays on the Saturday, kite making and a raffle.

Tuesday, April 26

11am-5pm - The annual Witton Country Park Easter fun fair takes place featuring classic fairground rides from swinging boats to dodgems.

2pm=4pm - Blood donor sessions will be held at Blackburn’s King George’s Hall. Call 0300 123 23 23 to book an appointment.

5pm-7.30pm - Blood donor sessions will be held at Blackburn’s King George’s Hall. Call 0300 123 23 23 to book an appointment.

Wednesday, April 27

9.30am to 12.30pm - Rossendale's mobile advice unit STAN visits Whitworth Civic Centre.

2pm - A guided tour of Blackburn Cathedral will be held. The tour is free and there is no need to book. Those interested are asked to meet George Kirby at the welcomers desk.

1.30pm to 4.30pm - Rossendale's mobile advice unit STAN visits the Ashoka restaurant.

5.30pm - Updates on a scrap metal theft crackdown will be available at Oswaldtwistle’s Police and Community Together meeting. The meeting, with PCSO Rikky Gallacher, takes place at Oswaldtwistle Community Church, in Union Road.

6pm - The Sabden Police and Communities Together (PACT) meeting will be at the White Hart Inn.

Thursday, April 28

6.30pm - Two of the rising stars of classical music will appear at Colne Muni. Conductor Nicholas Collon and violinist Thomas Gould will present a show featuring Stravinsky’s tongue-in-cheek chamber concerto Dumbarton Oaks, Aaron Copland's Appalachian and John Adams’s Shaker Loops. There will also be a performance of Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata performed as an arrangement for violin by Thomas Gould. The evening begins with a talk at 6.30pm and the concert at 7.30pm. Call the box office on 01282 661234.

7.50pm - A live music night with four bands in aid of Pendleside Hospice, will take place at Sanctuary, Cow Lane, Burnley.

Friday, April 29

11am - Darwen Subscription Bowling Club will celebrate the Royal Wedding with a family fun day and bowls competition.

The wedding will be shown on the club’s large TV screen and there will be a children’s entertainer, bouncy castle, kara-oke, tombola, raffles and refreshments. The Royal Wedding Day Trophy will be the prize in the mixed doubles contest. Entry costs £6 per couple.

1pm-4pm - There will be an Easter egg hunt in the grounds of Gawthorpe Hall. Entry costs £1.50 per child, accompanied by an adult.

3pm - Villagers in Helmshore are organising a community picnic to celebrate the royal wedding. The celebration will take place on the lawns at St Veronica’s Church. Everyone is welcome to join in by bringing a picnic.

7.45pm - Soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will play a one-off football match against AFC Darwen to raise funds for the Army Benevolent Fund. The match will be held at The Salmoners'

Anchor Ground and features local soldiers who have recently been on tour in Afghanistan. It is hoped there will be a series of guest appearances on the night. Admission will be £5 for adults and £2 for pensioners and children up to 16. Organisers are also looking for raffle prizes for the event. Anyone wishing to donate a prize is asked to email: afcdarwen@hotmail.com.

Saturday, April 30

11am - A memorial service in thanksgiving for the life and work of Jennie Chesters, wife of the former Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, who died in March, will take place in the cathedral. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, will attend.

11am-2pm - A variety of local produce and crafts will be on offer at this month’s Exchange and Market in Barnoldswick. The monthly event provides people with a chance to sell or swap homegrown and homemade produce such as jams, cakes and pies. It will take place at the Rainhall Centre.

1.30pm - The Mayor of Pendle, Coun Tony Beckett, will cut the ribbon at new shop Dezyre, in Manchester Road, Nelson.

8pm - A smash-hit show fresh from sell-out gigs at London's O2 Arena is set to take Motown fans in Pendle by storm. The Magic of Motown show recreates the harmonies, slick moves, stylish looks and legendary musicianship Motown is renowned for. The American show brings a cast performing hits by the Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. The show will take place at the Muni, Colne. Tickets cost £16.50. Call 01282 661234.

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