CLYDESDALE horses from across Scotland are being brought together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Kelpies, the largest equine structures in the world.
The special event will also see the first evening concert to take place at their site, headlined by up-and-coming Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie (below) and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who will be performing a set of their groundbreaking Bagrock, a fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock/pop anthems.
The festivities are planned as a celebration of Scotland’s heritage and the Clydesdales’ presence will mark the breed’s significant contribution to the country’s agricultural and industrial past and the inspiration behind sculptor Andy Scott’s creation.
The Kelpies, which stand at 100ft tall and weigh more than 300 tonnes each, dominate the Helix Park, a five-star visitor attraction between Falkirk and Grangemouth.
Since their construction, the park has welcomed more than seven million visitors from all over the world, with The Kelpies playing a huge role in contributing to an £85 million annual tourism spend in the Falkirk area.
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Falkirk council leader Cecil Meiklejohn said no-one could have predicted the impact the sculptures would have.
“The Kelpies continue to attract visitors from all corners of the globe who come to marvel at and stand in the shadow of the largest equine sculptures in the world,” he said.
“They also bring a real sense of pride to our communities and the wider Helix Park provides an outstanding local place for our people to enjoy. I’m sure many more will come to take part in and celebrate the 10th anniversary of these iconic landmarks.”
Scottish Canals commissioned the sculptures for the canal link between the Forth & Clyde Canal and the River Carron.
CEO John Paterson said: “The Kelpies pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in fields in the area where they now stand. Now, almost a decade on, these magnificent works of art are global waterway icons attracting thousands of visitors to Scotland each year.
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“We look forward to celebrating 10 years of The Kelpies, a true celebration of collaborative working.”
Scott, who is originally from Glasgow but is now based in Los Angeles, said he was “immensely proud” of what had been achieved with The Kelpies and how they had been “taken to heart” by local people and become cultural landmarks for Scotland.
He added: “The Kelpies stand testament to the incredible skills of a whole team of expert engineers, fabricators, lighting designers, landscape architects and many other disciplines from across the UK who were involved in the full-scale artworks’ creation.”
The Kelpies’ anniversary celebrations will begin at 10am on April 27 with a host of free events for all the family, including street theatre, circus performers, artists, face-painting, community stalls, a local producers’ market, folk tales and songs from renowned Scottish storyteller James MacDonald Reid, a Clydesdale demo ring where the horses will demonstrate traditional skills and a Unicorn Dance Party.
The day will culminate in a huge family ceilidh under the Kelpies, with chart-topping ceilidh band Whisky Kiss.
Gates open at 5pm for the evening concert which will be ticketed and include a fire show from PyroCeltica inspired by Falkirk’s industrial past.
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