Press Releases

Celebrating St Andrew's day

Tuesday, 25th November, 2008

Stirling’s St Andrew's day celebrations will overspill over the whole weekend that will allow people to experience a myriad of Scottishness that incorporates Stirling's Winter Festival Programme.

There are a number of events on all weekend across a number of different venues throughout Stirling and beyond.

Historic Scotland is allowing free entry to Stirling Castle on the 29 and 30 November to mark St Andrew’s Day.  

The celebrations that run from Friday 28 – Sunday 30 November will be kicked off with a St Andrew’s Ceilidh in Stirling’s Albert Halls on Friday.  The music will be provided by the Ian McCallum Scottish Dance Band that promises to be a great night of reeling fun in true Scottish style.  The fun starts at 8.00pm with tickets priced at £5.00.

On Saturday 29 November, the best of Scotland’s larder can be found at Stirling’s Farmers’ Market in Port Street from 10am until 3pm.  

There are a number of events on at the Tolbooth. The evening concert features the Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson Band. Ross and Jarlath are both award winning young pipers (borders pipes and uilleann pipes) who with their band have been described as the most thrilling live act around.

Earlier in the day Ross and Jarlath will be leading a piping and whistle workshop (for players with intermediate experience).  The concert starts at 8.00pm, tickets £12/£10.  The workshop is at 3 pm, tickets £5.

Also through the day the Tolbooth celebrates St Andrew’s Day with Tartan Intarsia – a knitting workshop, which is already sold out!  The Tolbooth knitting group has also been working on Accessorising the City – adding some knitted Saltire colour to Stirling’s statues and historic buildings earlier in the week.

Taking events out of the city, on Saturday 29th the Angus Lyon Ceilidh Band will be playing at the St Andrew’s Day Ceilidh in the Brig O Turk Village Hall from 7.30pm, Tickets are £5/£3.  This band has a very special line up featuring the wonderful duo of Angus Lyon on accordion and local star fiddler, Ruaridh Campbell.  Angus and Ruaridh are extremely busy, and in demand both for teaching and performing.  This summer they were teaching out at the Sunshine Coast Summer School in Canada when they were surprised to meet local children’s group Stushie from Callander who had been saving for months to fly out to Canada to experience this special event.

As well as the ticketed events there is a number of events taking place for schools.  There is a school's concert in the Tolbooth on the afternoon of Friday 28 November to showcase the Scots song workshops.  The three primary 4 pupils of Dunblane Primary School have been learning Scots song from Dunblane singer Amy Lord.  Each class will perform a song at the concert.  Also from Dunblane, Heather Downie will perform her clarsach at the concert, and there will be a short performance from members of the traditional group Malinky.

The school's programme also includes the members of Malinky performing in Newton Primary School, Dunblane, earlier on Fri 28th.   Dunblane storyteller Paraig MacNeil is also visiting Newton Primary School where he will be exploring stories about St Andrew and telling tales of Tartan Truths.

If you have ever wondered who St Andrew was then head to the Stirling Smith on Sunday 30 November for an talk by Smith curator Dr Elspeth King assisted by the Reverend Maxwell Craig, former Minister to St Andrew’s Scots Church, Jerusalem.  Talks start at 3.00pm with tickets priced at £3 including coffee and biscuits.

As well as the ticketed events, there is a school’s concert in the Tolbooth and a school’s programme, which includes workshops and performances by professional traditional musicians and local storyteller Paraig McNeill.

For full details of Stirling’s Winter Festival and more information on St Andrews Day celebrations and Hogmanay look out for the Winter Festival leaflet available from the Thistles Shopping Centre, Stirling Council libraries, the Albert Halls, the Tolbooth, the macrobert and other venues or visit www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth www.stirling.gov.uk/alberthalls