Celebrating its tenth year, the Canal Festival welcomed over 25,000 visitors to a variety of venues across the town, who enjoyed a full programme of live music, heritage displays, arts and crafts stalls, a Farmers Market, funfairs, boat trips and a variety of waterside entertainment at the Southbank Marina. The Festival kicked-off on Saturday evening at Kirkintilloch’s Southbank Marina, where a programme of live music saw headliners the Glasgow Gospel Choir and Samba Ya Bamba joined by Itchycoo Park and local band the Acutones, and was rounded off by a fantastic Canal-side fireworks display.The Festival’s grand opening took place on Sunday afternoon, marked in spectacular fashion by the Roman-themed street parade, where local community groups joined to celebrate the town’s Roman heritage and to mark the designation of the town’s Peel Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Canal, visitors were treated to boat trips, water displays and try-out sessions and the opportunity to experience the British Waterways Waterwalker, whilst the Renfrewshire Farmers Market Association offered a host of locally sourced, organic produce at their market on Union Street. Visitors also enjoyed funfairs, an arts and crafts market and Homecoming Scotland Heritage Exhibitions, featuring the Forth and Clyde Canal, the Lion Foundry and Thomas Muir of Huntershill.