Theatre, dance, street art and much more: that's what is the Merchant City Festival in Glasgow, an event not to be missed. Read more in this sponsored post written by Catherine.
Glasgow has a fantastic artistic and cultural scene that often goes unsung. Once a year however, the people of Glasgow and many visitors to the city take to the streets to demonstrate the talent and diversity of the city in the Merchant City Festival. This is a great time to visit and explore Glasgow in all its glory, as it showcases the very best it has to offer. Make a holiday of the festival by staying in the area to truly soak up the atmosphere.
This is the 12th year of Glasgow’s Merchant City Festival with 300 events taking place between the 24th and 28th of July in the cultural quarter. It is a multi-arts festival, celebrating all aspects of art and culture in the city and wider community. There is plenty going on for visitors to enjoy, including theatre, dance, comedy, film, and of course food and drink. Once you step into Glasgow you will soon discover that its culture does not begin and end with this festival, and it is in fact woven into the city itself.
Vintage
The Vintage festival comes to Glasgow this July, presented by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway, its creators. This will run on the Saturday and Sunday, the 27th and 28th of July and includes music, fashion, food, art, film and design from the 1920s to the 1980s in a celebration of British style and culture.
Dance all day at the Old Fruitmarket which will be done up and made into a dance floor on which the dances of years gone by can be handed down and enjoyed. The Fruitmarket will also house a fantastic vintage market, catwalk shows and retro food and drink. There will be family activities here too such as drawing your own superhero, and paper crafting with Damselfly.
Families
The festival is not just for adults. As in previous years there will be specific child friendly activities and spontaneous performances. Chrisholm Street, Parnie Street and King Street are the places to head if you are visiting with family, as these will be the best places to find interactive events and fun. Encouraging children to get involved with the arts early is great for development and creating well-rounded youngsters.
Catch Bugsy Malone on the big screen at City Halls on the Saturday, visit in the inflatable sculpture garden in the Gallery of Modern Art or visit the Crafty Kids Club at Café Cossachok on the Sunday. There are so many great things going on across the old commercial quarter, and kids will enjoy the constant music and fab atmosphere just as much as the many activities.
The Merchant City is a lively, if somewhat quirky, area right in the heart of Glasgow city. It is home to a number of boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and heritage attractions, all of which will be open during the festival. Stay in a city centre hotel and maximise the time you can spend breathing in the festival’s atmosphere.
