Rutherglen came alive with colour over the weekend as residents gathered for a major outdoor celebration marking the town's 900th anniversary.
Striding the Streets Parade
The festivities began on Saturday, June 13, with 'Striding the Streets', a free community parade that started at the Fernhill Road and Blairbeth Road junction. The procession, featuring over 100 locals, made its way to Broomieknowe Road and Rodger Drive before culminating at Overtoun Park. Hosted by Jack McGinty, the parade included music from Oi Musica, giant horse puppets by Puppet Club, a new R900 community banner, school-designed flags, and the popular Rutherglen 900 mascot Dougie the Pigeon.
Party in the Park
Following the parade, residents headed to Overtoun Park for 'Party in the Park', a free afternoon of live music, performances, and family activities from 2:45pm. The programme featured the eclectic big band Oi Musica, choreography by international dancers Vince Virr and Aishwarya Patil, performances from the Rutherglen 900 Schools Choir and Cambuslang and Rutherglen Rock and Pop Chorus, and a headline appearance by folk music star Siobhan Miller.
Finale and Activities
The event concluded with a performance by King's Park Brass Band, opportunities to meet Clydesdale horses, and various workshops, walkabout performances, and creative activities. Organisers expressed gratitude to all participants and supporters, including the Rutherglen Heritage Society, Keystone Clydesdales, Specsavers, and Advinia Healthcare.
Additional thanks were extended to Puppet Club for their puppet horses, Shunpike Social Club, Aishwarya Patil, The Siobhan Miller Trio, Cambuslang and Rutherglen Rock 'n' Pop Chorus, King's Park Brass Band, Rutherglen schools' choir, Grow 73, and the entire community for their support. The organisers remarked, 'What a journey and show of community spirit!'
