Southside goes heavy on Festival

May 27, 2010

The sun shone, there was plenty to entertain and there were the T-shirts, of course.

By Elyas Hussain
An estimated 15,000 people turned out for the annual Southside Festival, and all of them had a wonderful time. The location was changed, however, from Queen’s Park to Queen’s Park Recreation Ground because there are old coal mines under the Park and there were concerns about the ground collapsing under the weight of the crowd, the marquees and all the equipment.
The day started with a procession from Shawlands Academy, down Pollokshaws Road, Allison Street, Victoria Road and along Queen’s Park Drive into the Rec grounds.
Local Councillor, Bailie Margot Clark formally welcomed everyone.
There were different zones for the different activities. Art and music were in the Glasshouses. The acoustic stage was located in Queen’s Park Bowling Club. The other things were inside the park and included a Relaxation Zone, Tai Chi, yoga, Indian head massage, Capoeira and much more.
The Fitness Activity Marquee, gave people a chance to try different sports. Rides and a climbing wall suited all ages. An Integration Community Marquee offered a wide range of music, songs and performance from Egyptian dancers to Theatre Nemo Choir.
At the main stage, performances from Shawlands Academy Dance Group to the Langside Band were well received.
The Band’s lead singer, Dalian Dooley (18), is studying music at Langside College. She and her four class colleagues set up the group. Said Dalian: I’m really happy with the response we’ve had and with my performance. This was our first time playing at the festival and it was great fun.’
One festival goer who was there with his wife and children, was Andrew Card (37) from Cathcart. He said: ‘It’s been really good fun and the kids really enjoyed going on the rides.’
Andrew Montgomery, Chairperson of the Southside Festival, told the LOCAL NEWS GLASGOW: ‘We are really delighted with the turn out. Everybody has had a wonderful time with a wide range of activities on offer. It has been an improvement on last year’s events. It takes a full year to prepare with 30 volunteers. I would like to thank everybody who has supported and helped out with the festival.’

Written by localnews · Filed Under Features, Glasgow South, Local News, Martial Arts, Music, Top Stories | Leave a Comment