Set sail for East Dunbartonshire this summer – with a variety of amazing events on the horizon.
Preparations are well underway for the 2018 Kirkintilloch Canal Festival, including a raft of fun and entertainment for all the family.
The Canal Festival – organised by East Dunbartonshire Council – attracts thousands of visitors every year, boosting the economy and the area’s status as a visitor destination.
This year's programme will again involve a range of local performers, partners, shops, hostelries and groups.
An Economic Impact Assessment of the 2017 Festival has calculated that a total of £283,712 was spent locally, based on an estimated figure of 23,000 attendees.
The report, by Caledonian Economics, also found that 84% of people surveyed were “very satisfied” and 15% were “satisfied” by the festival.
This year’s events will take place from 20-26 August in and around Kirkintilloch town centre:
- Story Week (20-24 August) – including canal boat trips for people of all ages
- Get Active Saturday (25 August) – including street theatre, canoeing, archery, water rollerz, climbing wall, tea dance, Gin and Whisky Festival, evening concert with We Love the 90s and fabulous fireworks
- Gala Sunday (26 August) – including classic cars, market stalls, street theatre, live music, dancing displays, Coppers on the Canal and more.
However, that’s not all on the horizon for East Dunbartonshire – a host of community-organised events have also been lined up, including:
- Milngavie Week – 8-16 June – www.facebook.com/milngavieweek/
- Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games at West of Scotland Football Club, Glasgow Road, on Saturday 9 June – visit
- Kirkintilloch Gala Day at Woodhead Park on Saturday 9 June – visit www.facebook.com/yourkirky/
- Car Show in Milngavie Precinct on Saturday 16 June – 10am-4pm – visit milngaviebid.com or www.facebook.com/milngaviebid/
- MugStock festival at Mugdock Country Park – 27-30 July – visit http://mugstock.org/
- A range of local events associated with Glasgow 2018 Cycling Time Trial (which takes place on 8 August)
- Lenzie GalaFest 2018 at Lenzie Rugby Club Field on Saturday 18 August – visit http://lenziecommunitycouncil.org.uk/
- Milngavie food and drink festival on 1 September.
Joint Council Leader, Councillor Vaughan Moody, said, “It is interesting to see the positive impact that events such as Kirkintilloch Canal Festival have on the local area – providing an opportunity to welcome visitors, boost the economy, and showcase local facilities and attractions."
Joint Council Leader, Councillor Andrew Polson, said, “East Dunbartonshire is the place to be this summer, with a host of great events being organised by the Council and partners, and a host of hard-working community groups.”
For more information on the Canal Festival, visit www.kirkintillochcanalfestival.org
- Kirkintilloch Canal Festival is organised by the Council and partners such as East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture (EDLC) Trust, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, the Regent Centre, New College Lanarkshire – Kirkintilloch, Seagull Trust, Scottish Canals, the Forth and Clyde Canal Society and Kirkintilloch & District Classic Vehicle Club.
Follow us on Twitter @EDCouncil or like us on Facebook for the latest updates.