Southside Film Festival 13-15 May

We've waited along time for an event like this. On the weekend of the 13th of May the Southside will be hosting it's first ever Southside Film Festival.
Events will be taking place all over the Southside in venues such as: Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, The Shed, Southside Studios, The Chalet, The boating shed beside Queens Park Pond and many more. There is a diverse and inclusive programme of films being shown including feature films, animation, shorts, documentaries and music videos.
 Several screenings and workshops are free, (but donations are most welcome as this is an unfunded festival), and all other screenings are only £5. Tickets are available at the venue on the day, unless stated otherwise.
Click here to download the Festival Programme

Streetlands 2011 - 29 - 30 April

After its hugely successful debut event last year, the Streetland Festival is back.  This year's festival (taking place Friday 29, Sat 30) will see a host of visual art, live performance, music, theatre, food, walking tours, street games and cinema all happening in and around Westmoreland Street in the heart of Govanhill.

We popped along last year and it really was a fantastic bit of community involvement in a really unusual and unique way. That has been reflected in this year's event being awarded £4000 from the Fairer Scotland Fund and the organisers being nominated for a Community Champion award in the Evening Times.

There are a  diverse range of events over the two days which will include established and emegering artists, here are just a few of the many events we're looking forward to;
The interplanetary postbox, by Angie Bual and Fergus Dunnet, "The ultimate Pakora Challenge" A cooking extravaganza on the streets of Govanhill, the Polyphony drummers playing in Westmoreland Street Garden, A guided walk around the overlooked architectural gems of Govanhill, with Roger Guthrie, Streetlands' outdoor Cinema, The Chalet prize exhibition, and the Glad Cafe night at the Pandora.

Get yourself along and support this unique festival.

To find out more Download The Streetland Programme

Nine Southside Festivals

The Southside plays host to a number of unique festivals during the summer, each one celebrating the uniqueness of that particular area of the Southside. We've listed nine of our favourites - if we've missed any let us know.

1. Bungo in the Back Lanes

Held annually in June in the back lanes of Strathbungo. This quirky festival is one of our favourites. 19 June 2010

Click Here

2. Southside Festival

Now in it's third year the Southside Festival takes place through out the Southside in May, with a main event in Queens Park. Celebrating all that is unique to the Southside of Glasgow. It's the biggest festival South of the River. Click Here

3. Pollokshaws Carnival

An annual carnival held in and around the area of Pollokshaws - 19th June 2010.

4. Castlemilk Family Day

The Castlemilk Family day is a day of events in and around Castlemilk - this year it's being held on Saturday 22 May 2010.

5. Eid in the Drives

Eid on the Drive is a unique event that brings the multi cultural community of Polloksheilds together to celebrate the end of Ramadhan. The event normally runs from around 11am until late and in previous years part of Albert drive has been closed for the celebrations to take place. Date TBC

6. Govan Fair

The Govan Fair is the oldest fair in the city, it was started in 1756 by the weavers in the Burgh of Govan. It's being held on the 4th/5th June 2010.
Click Here

7. Gorbals Fair

The Gorbals Fair, a day of music, activities and fun in the Gorbals. This year it's being held on Saturday the 5th June 2010

8 Battlefield Street Party
The Battlefield Street party was first held in 2009, and is hoped to become an annual event with the second Street Party being held Sunday 18 July 2010.

9. Ready Steady Grow
Maxwell Park, Polloksheilds 6th June 2010

* Pollok Park Family Day  7th August this year - thanks Richard

Festivals in the Southside

The Southside plays host to a large number of festivals every year. They all range in size but all are focused on celebrating the diverse communities of the Southside of the River. We've listed the festivals below with a brief description of each - if we've missed any out no matter how small let us know.

Blossom Festival - Toryglen - 24 April 2010

Castlemilk Fun Day - 22 May 2010

Southside Festival - 22 May 2010

Gorbals Fair - 5 June 2010

Govan Fair - 4 June 2010

Bungo in the Back Lanes - tbc 2010

Govanhill Festival - tbc 2010

Battlefield Street Party - 18 July 2010

Pollokshaws Carnival - tbc 2010

River Festival - 24/25 July 2010

Linn Park Fair - 29 August 2010

Toryglen Carnival and Family Day - tbc 2010

Eid on the Drive - tbc 2010

The Ole Govan Fair

The Govan Fair is the oldest fair in the city, it was started in 1756 by the weavers in the Burgh of Govan. It's held on the first Friday of June


Decked with coloured ribbons and carried aloft on a pole the age-old symbol of a Scottish celebration forms the honoured centrepiece of a parade the first Friday of June.The custom is unusual in itself, but the fact the talisman is a sheep's head makes it unique and peculiar to the most Scottish of occasions the Old Govan Fair.

The 'sheep's heid' is a symbol of the Govan of the past, when woolunderpinned the local economy and weavers looms clacked in everyhouse along Govan Road and down Water Row.The same prized relic belongs to the Govan weaver's society, one of theoldest benevolent organisations in the country, and has pride of place and its annual general meeting, which takes place just prior to the public celebrations on the streets of Govan. The Meikle-Govan Fair as it was first called dates back to the foundationof the society in August 1756, when the weavers became the backbone of the community spirit in wee area.


More information click here

Castlemilk Family Day

With all this talk of the Southside Festival, we almost forgot to tell you about another important day in the Southside Calender. On Saturday [16th May] Castlemilk are holding their annual family day. There are event's all over Castlemilk on Saturday so if your in the area, stop by and see what's going on. I really like the fact that the Southside has so many community events happening through out the summer..like Bungo in the Lanes, Govanhill festival, and Govan Fair - to name just a few. We have put most of these events in our calender but if we've missed any let us know.

* As far as I know there will be no balloon performances like the one in the photo...sorry

The Southside Festival

The Southside Festival is the largest festival in the Southside and is a celebration of everything which is great about the Southside of Glasgow. The Festival aims to celebrate the cultural diversity and community spirit of this unique area of the city. The Festival is organised by the community for the community.

This year the Festival takes place in Queens Park on the 23 and 24 May. The festival will kick off at 11.30am with a parade through the streets of the southside winding its way to the park, where the festival will be opened by a special guest and the festivities will begin.

For more information click here

For previous posts on the Southside Festival click here

Carnival coming

The above and below images probably give you all the information you require. There is a carnival taking place in Queens Park from 3pm and then in the evening there is an after party in conjunction with SubClub taking place at the Glasshouse.

Eid on the Drives - 19th September 2009

Eid on the Drive is a unique event that brings the multi cultural community of Pollokshields together to celebrate the end of Ramadhan. The event normally runs from around 11am until late and in previous years part of Alburt drive has been closed for the celebrations to take place. There is a whole range of activities for children and music and performance for adults.

For more info click Eid on the Drive

Glasgow Subway Festival

SPT introduces Glasgow's first Subway Festival SPT and DADA team up for groundbreaking celebration Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has joined forces with leading Glasgow marketing company DADA to introduce the UK’s first ever underground Festival.
The unique ‘Glasgow Subway Festival’ runs over four days from Thursday, 10 April to Sunday, 13 April. It will involve an array of exciting and fun events, performances and fantastic competitions and will highlight just how quick, easy, enjoyable and cost effective it is to reach any of Glasgow’s great parks, museums, art galleries, cinemas, restaurants and bars just by hopping on the Subway.
The Subway Festival will also remind families what a fun day out they can have using public transport to get around the city. The festival will feature an incredible line up of activities and performances from Scottish talent. The programme will involve events both below and above ground, including:
A Treasure Hunt to win a holiday for four in New York Musical and theatrical performances Fashion shows, Falconry, Poetry readings, Tango dancing, Food demonstrations and Art shows.

All Glasgow Subway Festival events and performances in and around stations will be free over the four-day festival, with Subway tickets also allowing the city’s passengers to benefit from a variety of discounts from a whole host of venues surrounding the Subway stations for the duration of the festival.

From Monday, 31 March, Subway Festival staff will be selling ‘Glasgow Subway Festival’ badges, with all profits going to the Yorkhill Children’s Foundation. By wearing their badges during the festival, Subway travellers are in with a chance of winning some fantastic ‘on the spot’ prizes, ranging from free Subway tickets to meals at some of Glasgow’s top restaurants.

Passengers will also have the chance to take part in an exciting Subway Festival Treasure Hunt which will take place on the last day of the festival - Sunday, 13 April. The ‘treasure’ found by one very lucky traveller will be an incredible trip for four to New York City – home of one of the world’s most famous subway systems.

Alistair Watson, Chair of SPT, said: “The Glasgow Subway is the quickest and most effective method of transport that the city has to offer. It’s a hugely important resource which carries over 36,000 people every day. During the festival we want to create a lot of extra fun – particularly fun for the family - and we hope it will prove to be one of Scotland’s most popular festivals. This is a perfect way to highlight how effective and quick the Subway is for getting around the city.” Oli Norman, Managing Director of DADA, said: “I’m a regular user of the Subway and always felt that like other subway systems throughout the world, Glasgow should use their network of stations to create an exciting programme of entertainment and activity for passengers. “

“The Glasgow Subway is at the heart of city life and is one of the most effective ways of getting around, whether it’s a visit to Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Hillhead, to visit the pubs and cafes of the West End or to the city centre for shopping. The subways of New York, London and Paris are always brimming with entertainment and activity, and now it is Glasgow’s turn”. He added “The festival is completely integrated into Glasgow’s day-to-day life and with a wealth of competitions, offers and entertainment this is going to be an unforgettable four days for everyone involved.” Going Overground From Thursday, 10 April to Friday, 11 April, most of the events will be taking place above ground, with a focus on some of the exciting Glasgow venues and attractions surrounding the city’s Subway stations. Special events and performances will be taking place at themed stations throughout the week. Confirmation of all Going Overground activity and the themed stations will be released shortly
Going Underground During the weekend of 12 and 13 April, the party atmosphere will move underground as well as overground. Live music in the stations will happily fill the gaps for passengers waiting between trains, with performances to suit every taste spontaneously taking place all across the Subway system. From classic solo musical renditions to poetry performances and even short plays, unexpected and exciting live spectacles will be entertaining travellers all day long. A full programme of weekend performances and events will be released next week.

Programme flyers including a map of the Subway and details of when and where the events will be taking place will be available at all Subway ticket kiosks from Monday, 31 March. More information on the festival can be obtained by calling 0141 222 2266.