1990, except for 2001 when it was cancelled because of a foot and mouth epidemic. It was also cancelled in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. During the three-day festival (which takes place over a long weekend) folk artists play at a number of locations in the town, and it is estimated to bring in an extra 30,000 visitors to the town during the festival period, along with 400 narrowboats. In addition to this annual event there have been a number of ad-hoc events, including the Middlewich Roman Festival in 2001. This Roman Festival led to a Heritage lottery fund grant which allowed the construction of a Roman theatre at the Bull Ring near to St Michaels and All Angels church. Since its construction this has regularly been used for other purposes, such as an open-air music stage and an ice-rink. Following the Roman festival in 2001, further Roman festivals were held in 2003 and 2007. Tim Strickland, a consultant archaeologist, was awarded a MBE for services to archaeology for his work in organising the Roman Middlewich Project. In 2005 a Norman Festival was put on in the town, and there are plans for an Industrial Festival. A series of arts and music events "@ the Bull Ring" was started in 2006. The local newspapers are the Middlewich Guardian and Middlewich Chronicle. A radio station, Cheshire FM, was launched in 2007, covering the mid-Cheshire area including Middlewich – this closed in 2012. In 2013 a new local radio station was launched, Mid-Cheshire Radio covering Middlewich and the nearby towns of Northwich and Winsford. The library, in Lewin Street, was built in the 1970s to replace the old library which was demolished to build St Michael's Way. It has examples of finds from Middlewich's Roman past on display. Fountain Fields on Queen Street is a traditional town park, with a number of facilities including a bowling green. It has been owned by the council since 1926. Middlewich has had a football club since at least 1902. The current club, Middlewich Town, was formed in 1998, and plays in the Mid-Cheshire League. Middlewich also has a cricket club on Croxton Lane. There is a leisure centre which shares facilities with the high school. Middlewich is one of two large towns in the former borough of Congleton without a public swimming pool, in spite of the various initiatives that have been started to