Editing Congleton (section)

==Culture==
[[File:LittleMoretonHall.jpg|thumb|[[Little Moreton Hall]], {{convert|4|mi|km}} south-west of Congleton]]
The [[National Trust]] Tudor house [[Little Moreton Hall]] is {{convert|4|mi|km}} south-west of the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Little Moreton Hall |url=http://www.cheshirenow.co.uk/little_moreton_hall.htm |access-date=2022-03-14 |website=cheshirenow.co.uk}}</ref>

[[Congleton Park]] is located along the banks of the River Dane, just north-east of the town centre. Town Wood, on the northern edge of the park, is a Grade A Site of Biological Interest and contains many nationally important plants.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} Congleton Paddling Pool was built in the 1930s and is open in the summer months. [[Astbury Mere|Astbury Mere Country Park]] lies just to the south-west of the town centre, on the site of a former sand [[quarry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alsager.com/tour/area/astbury.htm|title=Astbury Mere Country Park|website=alsager.com|access-date=12 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/ranger_service/countryside_sites/congleton_area/astbury_mere_country_park.aspx|title=Cheshire East Council – Astbury Mere Country Park|access-date=12 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012234321/http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/ranger_service/countryside_sites/congleton_area/astbury_mere_country_park.aspx|archive-date=12 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The lake is used for fishing and sailing and, despite its name, is actually in the West Heath area of Congleton, with the boundary between Congleton and Newbold Astbury parishes lying further to the south.

The independently run 300 seat [[Daneside Theatre]] is on Park Road.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daneside Theatre |url=http://www.danesidetheatre.co.uk/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=danesidetheatre.co.uk}}</ref> The 400-seat [[Clonterbrook House|Clonter Opera Theatre]] is based in the village of [[Swettenham|Swettenham Heath]], {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north of Congleton. Founded in 1971, Congleton Choral Society is a mixed voice choir which regularly performs choral works at Congleton Town Hall and other venues around the town.

[[Congleton Museum]] is on Market Square, in the centre of town. It was established in 2002 and is dedicated to Congleton's industrial history. It also contains an ancient [[log boat]] and gold and silver [[Numismatics|coin hoards]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to Congleton Museum|url=http://www.congletonmuseum.co.uk/|url-status=live|website=congletonmuseum.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051226013743/http://www.congletonmuseum.co.uk:80/ |archive-date=26 December 2005 }}</ref> Congleton Tourist Information Centre is on the town's High Street.
[[File:Congleton Park 2456.JPG|thumb|Congleton Park from the Jubilee Pavilion]]

The town annually hosts a food and drink festival,<ref>{{cite web|title=Congleton Food and Drink Festival|url=http://www.foodanddrinkfestival.net/|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2016|website=foodanddrinkfestival.net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411075541/http://www.foodanddrinkfestival.net:80/ |archive-date=11 April 2009 }}</ref> which promotes locally sourced produce/cuisine, with a jazz and blues festival which showcases acts from across the UK. In 2019, Congleton held its first annual pride event.<ref>{{cite web|title=Congleton Pride|url=http://www.congletonpride.co.uk/|url-status=live|website=congletonpride.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709161350/http://www.congletonpride.co.uk/ |archive-date=9 July 2020 }}</ref>

Congleton hosts two annual musical festivals, Congleton Jazz and Blues and Congleton Unplugged.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 August 2023 |title=What goes into creating Congleton's music festivals? |page=16 |newspaper=[[Congleton Chronicle]]}}</ref>

The town once hosted the [[Congleton Carnival]] a one-day carnival which was hosted once every two years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 April 2023 |title=Pride invites firms to sponsor 2023 event |page=4 |newspaper=[[Congleton Chronicle]]}}</ref> In the past the carnival was regarded as one of the best local carnivals in England, and used to last for up to three days and feature floats and live music among another attractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congleton Carnival – A History – Congleton Heritage Festival |url=https://congletonheritagefestival.com/events/congleton-carnival-a-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815224057/https://congletonheritagefestival.com/events/congleton-carnival-a-history/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=15 August 2022 |access-date=2022-08-15 |website=congletonheritagefestival.com}}</ref>

For six months in summer 2011 Congleton hosted an event called "Bearmania",<ref name="Bearmania">{{Cite web |title=Bearmania – 2011 The Congleton Year of the Bear! |url=https://www.congletonpartnership.co.uk/marketing/bearmania/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Congleton Partnership}}</ref> in which over sixty 5-foot fibreglass sculptures where placed around the town.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bounds |first=Andrew |date=15 September 2011 |title=Congleton: Bearmania puts market town on the map |newspaper=[[Financial Times]]|location=London |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5b5f83a2-d4ae-11e0-a7ac-00144feab49a |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/5b5f83a2-d4ae-11e0-a7ac-00144feab49a |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref> Over 26,000 people came to see the bears during "Bearmania".<ref name="Bearmania" />

===Media===
There is one weekly local newspaper: the locally owned and financed ''[[Congleton Chronicle]]''. The evening newspaper ''[[The Sentinel (Staffordshire)|The Sentinel]]'', based in Stoke-on-Trent, also covers the town although less so than in the past. Local radio is broadcast from nearby Macclesfield-based [[Silk 106.9|Silk Radio]], [[Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]] and [[Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]] from Stoke-on-Trent and [[BBC Radio Stoke]]. Community radio is provided by [[Moorlands Radio]] in [[Leek, Staffordshire|Leek]] and Canalside Community Radio in Bollington.

Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC North West]] and [[ITV Granada]]. Television signals are received from the [[Winter Hill transmitting station|Winter Hill]] and the local relay transmitters.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |title=Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=28 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Congleton |title=Freeview Light on the Congleton (Cheshire East, England) transmitter|date=May 2004 |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=28 September 2023}}</ref>

Congleton did have its own community radio station Beartown FM,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.beartownfm.co.uk/about-us |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525051313/http://www.beartownfm.co.uk/about-us |archive-date=25 May 2012 |access-date=12 August 2022 |website=Beartown FM}}</ref> but this has now closed. There is an internet-only radio station, Congleton Radio, which started broadcasting on 25 June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congleton Radio launches tonight Saturday 25th of June at 7pm |url=https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F107998191756992%2Fposts%2Fpfbid031v3YmDjyX7p8n8SSYhYPtLA93d7WsfZfEYfqdiND2xKYMyPUJvYbSsQGUTQg7BYzl%2F%3Fd%3Dn |access-date=4 August 2022 |via=Facebook |publisher=Congleton Radio}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2022}}