Festival Sunday.Kelvingrove Park.

A wee change for the camera this time.Asked Alex If he wanted to go to the West End Festival`s Sunday Parade.He doesn't like crowds or loud music yet he`s the one that's the people person,always starting up a conversation with strangers and finding out things in five minutes it would take me years to find out, if ever.He` s just got a knack of asking all the right questions.
Anyway he declined so I phoned a guy I thought might be interested along with his wife and daughter.John, Gail and Morven, proud owners of wee white dog Chalky who has appeared on here in the past.They accepted and we met up at lunchtime for a fun day out.
I`d been to this parade a few times,once years ago with the same family group when the parade used to go down Byres road and a heavy downpour melted the paper mache costumes of the giant Elvis and Marilyn Munro dropping lumps all over the street.It`s always a good laugh and an interesting once a year experience.

This year the Parade would go down KelvinWay and snake through the park ending up at Park Circus right at the top.As it gets bigger every year they need the space,Byres Road packed solid last year from top to bottom.The park is much better.Its sloping, you can see all the acts far better and it makes for a great picnic atmosphere watching the various bands.All of which were excellent on the main stage.

First though the parade bands.A great variety this year.Music groups, dancers , jugglers and stilt walkers.

This is a lively samba band ,very popular with the male audience.Girls loved the costumes too.

Berlin nightclub theme with these girls,also very popular with the guys for some reason :0)

I really liked this act as well they really put a lot of heart into it.Devil or Balrog?
We were standing not far from the start for these pics.Lot of photographers, professional and amateur side by side competing for the best shots.I`m not bold enough for close ups, too shy.
You could tell the professionals used to doing this sort of event as they had an easy charm getting in for a intimate snap and a way of working.Must say though its nice to get a subject other than hills ,animals and insects.Makes a change.


Really wanted to get a close up of the dragon`s head here but it moved around faster than a butterfly!

Back to birds.This heron seemed a bit put out by all the noise, trying to ignore the fact its normally quiet park was alive with people.The parade started at 3:00 pm and ended at 4:00pm.


Sea life theme.


I think this was a sea horse.


Horns at the double.Jazzy!


This was the group everyone wondered" how they would manage the hill?" as it`s quite a climb up to Park Circus.A round of applause greeted them all as they topped out with a little help from support staff.Best parade yet I think and a smashing effort from everyone involved.A brilliant day out.
It wasn't over yet though.We settled down in the grass near the giant scarecrows to watch the bands perform.I`m very picky about music but every band I heard here sounded terrific.This was a free event.I`ve paid good money now and again for bands I wanted to see and came away disappointed due to the sound or lacklustre performance or unknown songs.None of this here.All class acts.

The Amphetameanies.Madness type ska band really energetic and fun.I don't even like ska normally but they were great with their own driving rhythm.John Beattie Band were next up getting everybody jumping with classic rock and roll covers.


Here`s some of the crowd.

Looking at the stage.You can just see wee dug Chalky in the picture next to the girl with dark glasses looking at the camera.

Liked this one at the end of the parade.Team photo shoot.

Folk were making their own entertainment by this time and a few worse for wear young teams were getting their drink poured away by the police as it was a family event. Tut Tut.It wasn't too bad though and the rain came down on cue around closing time driving folk to the buses or the pubs nearby. A lot of the parade dancers had stayed on in costume with the crowd and were still dancing in stiletto's in some of the bars when we headed for home.A great day out in fine company.Thanks to my companions.Ya boo to Alex.Ya missed a real treat.

This samba band closed the show in style.Rain starting to fall.