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Shire Extra for lanarkshire Shire Extra Across Lanarkshire
At SHIRE EXTRA, we know that Lanarkshire is the best county in the world because we have our own unique cultures, festivals and celebrations that people in other counties are jealous of (as they should be).
On this page you can see and read more about the events, festivals and celebrations that we Lanarkshire people regularly enjoy on our own turf.
This annual celebration dates back to pagan times when the fire was believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
Every year, construction of the bonfire begins many weeks before Hogmanay, outside the Corn Exchange building on the town’s High Street. The unique event begins with a torchlight procession, led by Biggar Pipe Band. The torch is passed to the town’s oldest resident who then lights the bonfire to “burn out the old and burn in the new”.
Many revellers continue to enjoy the occasion by singing and dancing in the street, with entertainment provided by the local pub across the road. Many choose to do so well into the night, until the bonfire has almost burned out.
This annual festival is a ten-day event that brings together music, art, theatre, poetry and more from local creatives and often includes artists from further afield, including some big named acts and well known celebrities.
Local music and arts organisations, such as The Clydesdale Folk Club, The Biggar Music Club, the Snug Poets, the Brownsbank Trust and the Arcadia musicians all participate in the festival, whilst local schools and pupils get involved with their own Street Art and take part in the annual Young Artists Competition.
Festival events range from family friendly children’s entertainment to theatre shows. Music events include classical, jazz, folk and rock – or fun with a ukelele band. For people who prefer the spoken word, there are poetry and storytelling nights. Local artists, painters and craft-makers also provide workshops throughout the week. The annual Biggar Day Out, held on the first Sunday of the Festival, features street entertainment, children’s activities and a craft fair.
https://www.biggarlittlefestival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/biggarlittlefestival
In recognition of the town’s connections with Albion Motors, this annual rally is held in Biggar Showground to commemorate the Scottish motoring pioneers Thomas Blackwood Murray and his brother-in-law Norman Fulton, who established the Albion Company in 1900. Each year, motor vehicle enthusiasts bring their vintage cars, lorries, motorbikes and more for display.
This annual festival began in 2011 and has successfully brought enthusiasm and pride among the residents of Bothwell. It has grown in popularity each year, with an increase in the number of events during the festival’s three weeks.
Whilst many gardens are decorated with large or miniature scarecrows, the festival also has concerts, exhibitions and live shows. On the final day is the Festival Parade, led by a local pipe band that is followed by a procession of people in fancy dress and more.
Surplus funding from the festival is donated to local charities and community groups, as well as Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
This annual celebration is a smaller event than that of the village’s town neighbour of Biggar.
Every year, the bonfire is lit at the park on the edge of the village, beside the road to Edinburgh. Crowds gather around it to see out the old year and bring in the new, with many staying well into the night until the bonfire has almost burned out.
Dating from 1508, this annual race is said to be the oldest surviving foot race in the world. The prize for winning is merely a pair of red socks. Originally held around the Feast of St John the Baptist in June, the event now occurs on the same day as the Carnwath Agricultural Show in July.
The 3-mile race has been held almost every year, except in times of war and during the two Foot & Mouth disease outbreaks in 1926 & 1952. James IV of Scotland granted the lands of Carnwath in 1508 to John Lord Somerville with unusual terms: “Praying thence yearly one pair of hose containing half an ell of English cloth at the feast of St. John the Baptist, called Midsummer, to the man running most quickly from the east end of Carnwath to the cross called Calla Cross.”
Anyone can enter the race but only those who are resident within the parishes of Auchengray, Braehead, Carnwath, Carstairs, Covington, Dunsyre, Dolphinton, Elsrickle, Forth, Libberton, Quothquan, Thankerton and Walston can wear red hose socks. Anyone who doesn’t live in these parishes and does so will be disqualified!
This annual race takes place at Broadwood Stadium, with a course around Broadwood Loch and the community of Blackwood. There is also a 3K race for young teenagers and a children’s 1K race for primary school pupils. In recent years there have been shorter races added for younger children.
Since the start of the industrial revolution, Lanarkshire has been recognised for its abundance of heavy industry, as well as mining and manufacturing. However, agriculture is still one of the county’s biggest industries, especially in the rural Southern area.
To celebrate the importance of this, Lanarkshire hosts many “Shows,” which are held in large fields or showgrounds throughout the year. Each of them showcases proud local farmers livestock, including sheep, cows, bulls, pigs and occasionally wildfowl, which are nominated for graded competitions. Farming shows also include equestrian competitions such as show-jumping. Some include sheep-shearing competitions, dog shows, tug-of-wars, vintage tractor displays, Highland Dancing and sports.
Most of the Shows include stalls where small local businesses sell home-made arts and crafts, as well as local produce and home-made food and drink. The events usually end with a “dance” or Ceilidh held in a large marquee, which tends to follow a “Best of the best” parade of competition winners from earlier in the day.
Although no farming shows take place in North Lanarkshire, the following places in South Lanarkshire have an annual agricultural event:
ABINGTON (Link)
BIGGAR (Link)
CARNWATH (Link)
CHAPELTON (Link)
LESMAHAGOW (Link)
STRATHAVEN (Link)
Gala Days are usually the climax of a week of events known as Gala Weeks, which are held in many of Lanarkshire’s smaller town and village communities, as well as inner town estates in some of Lanarkshire’s larger towns. Some communities have variations of these events and may use a different name, such as Fayre, Village Day or Civic Day. Lanarkshire’s Gala Days occur in the summer months between May and August, with most taking place in June when it is common for neighbouring communities to hold their own galas on the same day. Sadly, some communities no longer hold Gala Days, although a small number of them saw a return of theirs, especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19 lockdown period.
Gala Weeks normally feature children’s activities, sporting events, fancy dress competitions or parades, discos or party events held within community halls and possibly some treasure hunts, all of which probably take place during the weekday nights. Gala Days are held on Saturdays and usually have a procession of some kind, which can include floats and fancy-dress participants. These tend to be led by local pipe and brass bands if they are available. The processions also have a trail of vehicles that transport the elected or nominated Gala Queen and her Gala Court, which will make their way to a central location within the community, such as a park or town centre, where the crowning ceremony is held. After the crowning of the Gala Queen (and King in some communities), the rest of the day can be filled with other activities such as sports, bouncy castles, fairground rides, dance performances and live music on stage. Most communities also hold events in the evening, usually taking place within their community halls or other venues such as a local pub, hotel or sporting venue.
Towns and villages in Lanarkshire that have Gala Days and Gala Weeks include:
BIGGAR (Link)
BLACKWOOD & KIRKMUIRHILL
CARLUKE (Link)
CARNWATH (Link)
CARSTAIRS VILLAGE (Link)
CHRYSTON & MUIRHEAD (Link)
CLELAND (Link)
COALBURN (Link)
CUMBERNAULD (Link)
DOUGLAS (Link)
FORTH (Link)
GLASSFORD (Link)
GLENBOIG
HARTHILL, EASTFIELD AND GREENRIGG (Link)
HOLYTOWN
LARKHALL
LEADHILLS (Link)
NEWMAINS (Link)
SHOTTS (Link)
STRATHAVEN (Link)
STONEHOUSE (Link)
This is an annual celebration of local music talent, held in the village of Forth on a Saturday in the middle of May. The event takes place across four venues, usually starting at 12 Noon and finishing late in the evening.
The name of the festival refers to George Gracie, who was Scotland’s Tallest Man and was briefly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the UK’s tallest. He was nicknamed “The Gentle Giant” and lived in a small cottage outside the village.
The concept for the music festival came many years after his passing, as a result of a negative article written about the village of Forth by travel writer Tim Moore, who made a disparaging reference to the late George within his critical comments about the community.
As an attempt to “right the wrong,” a group of the village’s musicians and music fans staged what was supposed to be a “one off” event in 2012. However, due its success, the festival has been held every year since then (except during the Covid lockdown period).
The logo used for the festival features a silhouette, created from an historical photo that showed a kilted George Gracie with his leg raised and stretched over the bonnet of a car.
This annual music festival takes place in the beautiful yet isolated setting of the Douglas Castle Policies Grounds, beneath the ruin of the last remaining turret of what was known as “Castle Dangerous.”
Organised by local community organisation Douglasdale REAL Group, who were set up to improve facilities within the Douglas Valley area, the three day event helps to raise funds for the group.
Bands and artists from across Scotland perform on two stages inside a large marquee, which also contains a bar. Outdoor attractions include inflatables, soft play, face painting and more to keep kids entertained, along with hot food and refreshments.
In recognition of Carluke’s proximity to the Clyde Valley orchards and the town’s jam making industries, this annual festival celebrates Carluke’s history, musical traditions and food manufacturing expertise, with family friendly events and displays of local produce. The event takes place on a Saturday in September.
This annual music festival and charity event features local and other Scottish musicians performing in many of the town’s bars and cafes. It is held to raise funds for the Adams Community Trust, an organisation dedicated to improving the facilities and amenities within the Strathaven area.
This event is similar to Gala days held in other Lanarkshire communities, occurring on a Saturday in June. It is the highlight of a week of events, as described in the Gala Days section on this page.
The Lanimers and the Marches is one of the oldest traditions in Scotland and takes place in the town of Lanark in June.
The history of the Marches (which occurs on the Monday evening of Lanimer week) stems from the town being granted Royal Burgh status in the 12th Century. It was therefore a requirement that the Burgesses of the town checked their March or boundary stones every year. This has been an annual occurrence in Lanark and now forms a part of the Lanimer celebrations, a week -long festival of events, with its climax on the Thursday, which is treated as a bank holiday among locals and even local schools in the town and neighbouring villages are closed for the day.
The Lanimers has grown over the centuries and now includes horse racing on Lanark Moor, a grad procession of bands and fancy dress on “Lanimer Day,” with crowning of the elected Queen, which takes place on a very high stage at St Nicholas Church, on the town’s High Street.
More activities take place in the town on Lanimer Day, especially at Castlebank Park and a fairground near the new doctor’s surgery and St Mary’s primary school.
This annual music festival is held at Langloch Farm on the outskirts of Lanark. Music fans get to see local and upcoming bands perform in a concert that begins at lunchtime and ends late in the evening, usually on a Saturday in August.
This annual event is a hybrid between a typical Lanarkshire Gala Day and Highland Games that are held in other parts of Scotland.
Following the procession of pipe bands, fancy dress participants and the Gala Queen and her court parading through the village’s main street, the crowning ceremony is held in the main sporting ground, which also features attractions and activities that are often found at Highland Games events, including wrestling, pipe band competitions, acrobatics, Highland dancing, hammer throwing, sports and much more.
www.lesmahagowhighlandgames.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/152057081505170
This is an annual music festival that takes place across some of the town’s pubs on a Saturday in August.
Performances from local and other Scottish bands and artists are scheduled in such a way to allow music fans to watch a whole session, then walk to the next event being held in a nearby participating pub, without missing a song. The event begins at lunchtime and continues well into the evening.
In recognition of Lanark’s history, especially with its connections to William Wallace and the Scottish wars of independence, the town has hosted a medieval festival in some form for many years.
Featuring participants dressed in medieval clothing, the event has included battle enactments, medieval combat demonstrations, medieval games, displays of armour and armour making, medieval music and dance, jesters and local traders who sell traditional and medieval-style goods.
Although this is a small tradition when compared to other nearby Hogmanay celebrations, the ringing of the Leadhill’s Curfew Bell is still observed at midnight to mark the start of the New Year.
The bell dates from 1770 and was originally rung to mark shift changes in the local lead mines. It was also used to notify workers of any accidents, to mark funerals and to summon search parties to find walkers who had got lost in the mists on the hills.
This annual event is similar to Gala days held in other Lanarkshire communities, occurring on a Saturday in June. It is the highlight of a week of events, as described in the Gala Days section on this page.
The origin of the Landemers stems from the days when Rutherglen, as a Royal Burgh, organised a “Redding of the Marches” each year, a tradition that is believed to go back over three centuries. Just Like the Marches event that occurs in Lanark (also a Royal Burgh), this involved the inspection of the town’s boundary stones.
https://rutherglenheritage.wixsite.com/website-46/landemer-day
https://www.facebook.com/p/Landemer-Day-Rutherglen-100083095664024/
In recognition of Lanarkshire’s many residents of Irish descent, as well as new Irish immigrants, this annual street festival in Coatbridge takes place on a Saturday in March, close to St Patrick’s Day. It is organised by the Irish Heritage Committee.
The event begins in the mid-morning with music and attractions in the town’s main shopping street, which is festooned with the Tricolour flag and many of Ireland’s own county flags. Additional events take place in surrounding pubs and play areas, such as an Irish Quiz and a children’s Gaelic football tournament.
Festival participants include local and Irish musicians, as well as school choirs and dance groups from Lanarkshire’s Catholic schools and churches.
This annual event takes place over three days on the last weekend of August, Typically attracting tens of thousands of visitors, the festival features many hot air balloons in flight, as well as fun days and live music. On the Saturday, after the sun has set, there is the “evening glow” where balloons are on the ground and flare up to give spectacular colourful light show to the sound of music.
This annual cycling and running event is held in August and follows a route of 50 miles around Strathaven and through the neighbouring communities of Auldhouse (near East Kilbride), Chapelton, Glassford (known locally as The Glessart) and Sandford. It is considered by many of its participants as challenging, due to some of the steep inclines on the way. There is an alternative route of 15 miles length, designed for families and younger children.
This annual event marks the start of Strathaven’s Gala Week, although it is considered a significant event in itself. Teams four people (or less) use a professionally built raft or they may have designed their own raft to race along the River Avon, which flows near the town.
This annual event takes place on the same Saturday as the community’s Village Day. The race begins at the community hall and follows a pathway around the Bings near the village, which are spoil heaps left over from the period of shale mining, which provided employment and housing for people in the area from the early 20th century.
www.twaanddcc.co.uk
This annual event is similar to Gala days held in other Lanarkshire communities, occurring on a Saturday in August, as described in the Gala Days section on this page. It does not have a procession, elected Queen or crowning ceremony. It also occurs on the same day as the Tarbrax Bing Race.
www.twaanddcc.co.uk
This annual event, held in Symington (near Tinto Hill) is similar to Gala days held in other Lanarkshire communities, occurring on a Saturday in June. It is the highlight of a week of events, as described in the Gala Days section on this page.
This is an annual event that takes place beneath St Nicholas Church at the bottom of the High Street, on March 1st. Believed to date from the 19th Century, it is observed by local people to celebrate the approach of Spring.
Local children gather at the church before 6 pm and wait for the bell to be rung. This is the starting signal for the children to run around the church in a clockwise direction, whilst making noise and swinging paper balls on strings above their heads. After three laps, they scramble for coins thrown by members of the town’s Community Council. The event is followed by a “Whuppity Scoorie Storytelling Festival” and art workshops until March 7th.
There are many theories on the origins of Whuppity Scoorie. The most common is that it came from a festival that was intended to celebrate spring and frighten off winter or evil spirits. Another theory suggests that it marks the time when days got longer, allowing curfews to be lifted or changed so that children could play outside longer. Some people believe the event is an ancient religious penance in which the penitents were whipped three times round the church and afterwards “scoored” (washed) in the River Clyde or Mouse Water, both of which flow near the town.
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