Organisers aiming to bring community together as Wick Gala Week returns with packed programme
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Organisers of Wick Gala Week are hoping the event will help to bring the community together as it returns for the first time since before the pandemic.
There is a mix of traditional favourites and new activities on a packed schedule which gets under way with the gala procession through the streets of the town this Saturday evening and culminates with a bonfire and fireworks a week later.
Some events were held virtually for two years during Covid restrictions but this will be the first full gala since 2019.
Gala committee chairman Alex McDonald said: “The preparations have been intense, after such a long gap, trying to get everyone together again around the table to sort out the programme and then getting everything in place.
"There is so much going on in the background with the whole committee – I can't fault them at all, they are really hard-working.
"It's bringing the community together. That's why we do it – to bring the community together, especially after what we've gone through in the past couple of years.
"We are hoping the community comes out and supports it as much as we support it. We are primed and ready to go."
The procession will follow the crowning of the gala queen at the riverside car park at 7pm, with guest speaker Pat Ramsay.
Gala queen is Beth Dunnett and her attendants are Devin Stuart and Lauryn Miller. They were elected in 2020 and have been given the opportunity to take part this year instead.
Roadworks are in progress on part of the procession route but the committee is hopeful that the junction of George Street and Henrietta Street will be open to allow the decorated floats to pass. Any holes in Henrietta Street that have not been filled in will be covered to ensure safety, while cones will be placed on parts of the route to control parking.
There will be a free gala night dance in the Seaforth Highlanders' Club.
The children's fancy-dress parade will go ahead at its customary setting, the Braehead, on Tuesday evening. The gala bonfire and fireworks on Saturday, July 30, will be preceded by a family barbecue and a lantern parade at the riverside.
“The heritage centre is open throughout, Caithness Seacoast will be doing tours, we've got the scarecrow competition going again, the best garden competition, the usual gala raffle, a red herring competition and there's a gin-tasting night on the Friday," Mr McDonald said.
Other activities include a baking book launch (Saturday), an open golf tournament (Sunday), autocross (Sunday), a car-boot sale (Sunday), blessing of the fleet (Sunday), a royal picnic for under-fives (Monday), a summer show (Monday), a children's dog show (Monday), kids' bike races (Monday), a family quiz (Monday), children's bingo (Tuesday), senior citizens' afternoon tea (Tuesday), Caithness photos in St Fergus Church (Tuesday and Thursday), a whist drive (Tuesday), prize bingo (Tuesday), messy play (Wednesday), Fairy Liquid football (Wednesday), a sweet and savoury evening (Wednesday), a car treasure hunt (Wednesday), past galas on video (Wednesday), a family colour run and fun day (Thursday), family beetle drive (Thursday), Trinkie slide show and talk (Thursday), Wick Players and Elise Lyall School of Dance (Thursday), pancake and muffin breakfast (Friday), craft fair (Friday), Elise Lyall School of Dance coffee afternoon (Friday) and fun run/walk (Saturday).
A full list is contained in the gala programme which is on sale at various shops around the town, priced £1.
Mr McDonald was full of praise for the efforts put in by his fellow volunteers on the committee.
"The team have been really busy just trying to get ourselves organised again and getting everything together with regard to the programme," he said.
"Each event has its own leader, so to speak, so that leader then takes control and lets everybody know what they need. Then we just make sure that everything is in place for when that event is going ahead."
