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People’s Choice Award on offer for Wick Gala Week floats





One of the decorated floats on the 2023 gala procession through Wick. This year the prizes will include a new People’s Choice Award. Picture: DGS
One of the decorated floats on the 2023 gala procession through Wick. This year the prizes will include a new People’s Choice Award. Picture: DGS

Decorated floats taking part in the Wick Gala Week procession will have a chance to win a new accolade this year – a People’s Choice Award.

It is being introduced by the organising committee as a way of extending the public’s interaction with the Saturday evening parade through the town, with voting to be carried out online.

The new award will be in addition to the long-established prizes that are handed out on the opening night.

Photos of the floats will appear on the gala Facebook page from around 7pm on Saturday. Votes will be counted through “likes”, closing around 9pm.

Gala chairperson Donna Plowman said: “You do have to move with the times, and we’re going to do a public vote through Facebook so maybe people who are not in Wick can vote for what they think their favourite float is on the night. It was one of the floats that suggested it.

“It just gives a bit more interaction for people who are not here.”

The procession will, as usual, follow on from the crowning of the gala queen at the riverside.

Gala queen Anna Durrand with her attendants Lena Forbes (left) and Mia Gunn (right). Picture: Eswyl Fell
Gala queen Anna Durrand with her attendants Lena Forbes (left) and Mia Gunn (right). Picture: Eswyl Fell

This year’s queen is Anna Durrand and her attendants are Lena Forbes and Mia Gunn. Guest speaker will be Margaret Thomson.

Highland Council has issued a road closure notice covering the period from 7.30pm to 9pm along the procession route.

Mrs Plowman said: “We’ll not keep the roads closed for the whole procession – we’ll open the roads as soon as they’ve gone past that point.”

Adding to the spectacle on this year’s procession will be a contingent of motorcyclists from Riders of Charity (ROC) who are on a North Coast 500 tour. They are raising funds for the RNLI, Alzheimer’s Society and Mental Health Motorbike.

Up to a dozen ROC riders will join the parade, along with a couple of walkers who will be collecting for the gala.

There is a packed schedule of events and activities for all the family throughout the week, including some new additions.

“You can start off with a pancake and muffin breakfast,” Mrs Plowman explained. “We’ve never done that on the Saturday morning before. It’s a new way to kick-start your gala.

“And we’ve got a family ceilidh this year too.”

Established favourites include the blessing of the fleet, summer show, family quiz, children’s fancy-dress parade, scarecrow competition, garden competition, bingo, whist drive, car treasure hunt, riverside family fun day and autocross, as well as the bonfire and fireworks display on the closing Saturday. A children’s sports day will have an Olympic theme.

Full details are contained in the official Wick Gala Week programme, on sale at various outlets around the town for £2.

The Seafarers Memorial was the inspiration for these foot collectors last year. Picture: DGS
The Seafarers Memorial was the inspiration for these foot collectors last year. Picture: DGS

Mrs Plowman emphasised that the gala is a team effort.

“Some of our committee go above and beyond,” she said. “It’s not just a gala week, it’s the run-up to it.

“Arlene Farquhar is in charge of the sweet and savoury this year, and the pancake and muffin breakfast – she has been cooking and baking for weeks in preparation.

“We are lucky, but we’re always looking for more people and we need ideas. They are welcome to come along and join.

“If they want to contact the committee there’s a helpers page that we can add them to if there’s anything they want to give a hand with.”

When asked why the gala remains so enduringly popular among Wickers of all generations, Mrs Plowman replied: “I think it’s because Wick does like tradition, and the history of it. Because Wick has done it for so long, they like to keep that going.”

Related stories:

‘We are just trying to spread the generosity’: Wick groups get £5000 in gala funding

Queens past and present gather at Pulteney Centre to celebrate Wick’s gala

Wick Works Weil for sunny Gala Week opening event as new queen is crowned

A final farewell to Wick Gala Week with a colourful display by the river

Youngsters turn out in force for Wick Gala Week fancy-dress competition

Wick Gala Week runs from Saturday, July 27, until Sunday, August 4.

Lois Wann won a first prize at last year’s gala fancy-dress event after appearing as a ballerina in a music box. Picture: Alan Hendry
Lois Wann won a first prize at last year’s gala fancy-dress event after appearing as a ballerina in a music box. Picture: Alan Hendry
NASA astronaut Eleni Sinclair took one giant leap to the Braehead for the gala week fancy-dress competition in 2023. Picture: Alan Hendry
NASA astronaut Eleni Sinclair took one giant leap to the Braehead for the gala week fancy-dress competition in 2023. Picture: Alan Hendry
Wick Gala Week 2023 ended with the traditional bonfire night and fireworks. Picture: Ian Nicolson
Wick Gala Week 2023 ended with the traditional bonfire night and fireworks. Picture: Ian Nicolson

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