Merchant City Festival draws in 35,000 people

The 2024 Merchant City Festival was enjoyed by 35,000 people as street arts, dance and musical performances brought large crowds to one of Glasgow's oldest districts.

Article Source: Glasgow Life
Last Updated: 21 July 2024 17:55

Image Credit: Kris Kesiak for Glasgow Life.

Festivalgoers soaked up a mix of entertainment in the streets and venues of the Merchant City from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 July, including interactive theatre piece ‘Frame’ by Catalan group Electro 28 and giant puppets The Grimaldi Twins by Bridgeman Arts. The crowds were also treated to eye-catching and ear-pleasing sets by Brass, Aye? and Zimbabwean DJ Elanda over the course of the weekend as part of the music programme from Surge, Scotland’s leading outdoor arts agency.

The Merchant City Festival is delivered by Glasgow Life, the charity that leads culture and sport in Glasgow. On the Saturday and Sunday, event sponsor Merchant Square staged free family days featuring ceilidhs, Be Bop Bairns discos, dancers, puppet shows and roaming characters like the Prom Pom Queen, co-commissioned with Scotland’s children’s theatre agency Imaginate.

Merchant Square also hosted live musical entertainment each night of the festival for the first time, with Celtic Connections bringing folk, roots and world music on the opening night. The Saturday evening celebrated Glasgow Pride with a Queer-led programme featuring Megan Black and Bonnie Banks. Glaswegian roots trio Awkward Family Portraits and 50s pop act The Shivering Sheiks then kept the party going in Merchant Square on the Sunday night.

Elsewhere on the Friday, Hip Replacement community disco nights saw revellers take to the Old Fruitmarket dancefloor in their droves. On the Saturday night, Big Angie FireStarter comedy shows at fellow event sponsor The Social Hub Glasgow had audiences in hysterics.

Festivalgoers also flocked to the much-loved Merchant City Festival food stalls and craft, farmers’ and gift markets throughout the weekend.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations for Glasgow City Council, said: “The top-class entertainment of the Merchant City Festival made for another brilliant weekend of fun for all. Culture is Glasgow’s heart and making, sharing and enjoying culture is our right, so it was wonderful to see so many people of all ages and backgrounds soaking up the festival’s carnival atmosphere with family and friends. This year’s Merchant City Festival showed why it is one of the most popular dates in Glasgow’s internationally renowned cultural events calendar.”

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