Monster Fun with Bigman2
Sunday 20th September 2009, 11:00am – 4:00pm Forth and Clyde Canal at Maryhill Locks, North Glasgow (at the corner of Maryhill Road and Cowal Road)
Bigman is back for the second year with a raft of fun-packed, free events on land and water celebrating the historic canal and its place in the wider Bigman regeneration plans for the Maryhill area. As well as lots of family fun, Bigman2 is a great opportunity to see the three metre tall, scaled down extraordinary Bigman sculpture by renowned artist Andy Scott. The 2,000 year old colourful sport of dragon boat racing will be part of Bigman for the first time. Eleven teams have signed up to take part in what first began as an annual worship of the dragon of Asia, a symbol of water and ruler of the rivers and seas, including two Chinese teams sponsored by the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh and the Scotland Chinese Golfers Association. The event is set to be eye-catching as dragon boats race side by side along the Kelvin Aqueduct from 10:00am onwards. SheBoom (reputedly Europe's largest women's drumming ensemble) will travel by boat from Speirs Wharf to the Bigman event at Maryhill Locks enthralling people with their uniquely infectious mix of Afro-Brazilian, Samba, African, Latin, Celtic and European rhythms. Kirkintilloch Silver Band will also take part in the boat procession. The procession is expected to leave Speirs Wharf at 10:00am. Also included in the packed programme put together by The Waterways Trust Scotland, are free boat trips to Stockingfield Junction, site of the proposed iconic Bigman foot bridge designed to link communities on either side of the Forth & Clyde Canal. Illustrations and information about the proposed bridge, which will appear to be ‘lifted up’ by a 30 metre high sculptural ‘Bigman’ by Andy Scott, will be available to view on the boat. For youngsters keen to try something new, there’ll be high energy, free sailing taster sessions for 8-14 year olds with the Royal Yachting Association Scotland (RYA) and their ‘Sailing in the City’ initiative and Outdoor Adventure Glasgow will be on hand to give half hour free taster canoe sessions for eight years and over. There will also be a waterpolo competition with five teams taking part: Glasgow University; Heriott Watt University; Dundee University; Stirling CC and Team Scotia. Land-based activity is just as exciting with mountain bike taster rides over a purpose built obstacle course also led by Outdoor Adventure Glasgow and live music from Sheboom and the Kirkintiloch Silver Band. Street entertainment will be provided by the famous Mischief La Bas and visitors can learn a range of daring circus skills from Flambeau and Gazelle. Young people can take part in artistic activities including shelter making and face painting. Local organisation Impact Arts Group will also be there to promote the new board game based on the Forth & Clyde Canal which was created by The Waterways Trust Scotland and designed by Impact Arts. Challenge them to a game if you dare. The Bigman2 is run by The Waterways Trust Scotland with support from British Waterways Scotland; Glasgow City Council; Glasgow Canal Regeneration; Queens Cross Housing Association Limited; Sustrans; Maryhill Housing Association; GHA; Cube Housing Association and Halcrow. For further information on Bigman2, visit www.bigmanglasgow.co.uk Further information on the Forth and Clyde Canal or other canals within the Scottish canal network can be found at www.scottishcanals.co.uk The Waterways Trust Scotland is a registered charity. The Waterways Trust Scotland enriches people’s lives through waterways. We work with communities who live near or whose lives can be improved by waterways. We provide heritage and environmental improvement, enhancement and interpretation projects working with community groups to maximise the greenspace and the natural environment along the canal corridor www.thewaterwaystrust.org.uk/scotland Issued by Joanna Harrison, British Waterways Scotland, 0141 354 7567/07824 499180.
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