Local stories to be brought to life in October festival
Join us for The Elephant in the Close and Other Tall Tales, Lanark’s week-long festival of walking, talking and storytelling.
October half term will be alive with events for all ages, bringing a mix of Lanark’s best and least known stories to life.
The full programme has recently been announced:
- Saturday 15 October, 3pm: A TALE AND A TRUNK and CAMP’S STORY. Two stories with a very local twist. The first is the story of an elephant from a visiting circus rampaging through the town drunk on beer whilst the second tells how the statue of a dog, the Girnin’ Dug, came about as an act of sweet revenge. Tickets £4 including guided walk, storytelling and light refreshments. Find out more
- Sunday 16 October, 11am and 1pm: THE FAIRIES OF CASTLEBANK, a set of new stories drawn from the imaginations of Lanark primary school children. Tickets £4 including craft making session, storytelling with Allison Galbraith and a delicious fairy cake. Find out more
- Monday 17 October, 2pm: THE LOST CLYDE CUBS, a children’s woodland adventure with den building and mini beast hunting as we track down the lost cubs. Tickets £5 including a celebratory roast marshmallow. Find out more
- Monday 17 October, 2pm: THE ORRA MAN OF MERLIN'S CRAG, a junior storytelling session with storytelling, dance and craft. Tickets £1.80 including light refreshments. Find out more
- Tuesday 18 October, 7.30pm: THE LEGEND OF THE LEE PENNY, a dramatization of how this previous jewel with magical healing powers was acquired during the Crusades, performed by Fever Pitch, plus other Lockhart family stories. Tickets: £5 including a glass of Prosecco and canapes. Find out more
- Wednesday 19 October, 6pm: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF WILLIAM WALLACE, a guided walk followed by poems and stories about Wallace and his colourful role in Lanark’s past. Tickets £8 including a delicious steak pie! Find out more
- Thursday 20 October, 10.30am: FANTASTIC FOLK TALES! Join Shelagh McDonald reading a selection of her poems whilst library staff will be delving into their collection of Scottish folk tales. Tickets £1.80 including light refreshments. Find out more
- Thursday 20 October, 7.30pm: A NEW LANARK CHILDHOOD, a selection of entertaining stories about growing up in the village from local raconteur Frank Gunning plus the poetry of May Barnes, read for us by Amelia Potter. Tickets £5 including a delicious plate of haggis, neaps and tatties. Find out more
- Friday 21 October, 5.30pm: TALES FROM THE GRAVEYARD, exploring the stories of notable people buried in Lanark Cemetery including covenantors, soldiers, judges, physicians, educators and interpreters. All have their stories to tell! £4 including light refreshments. Find out more
- Saturday 22 October, 12.30pm: ON TINTOCK TAP, a guided walk up Tinto Hill, before returning to Tinto Tearoom to here On Tintock Tap, featuring a family outing to climb Tinto and a child’s mystical experience. Tickets £6.50 include homemade soup, roll and a warming drink. Find out more
- Sunday 23 October, 2pm: THE LEGEND OF CORA LINN, taking us on a walk to the spectacular Cora Linn waterfall where author Allison Galbraith will read her story of how the waterfall came to be named after the daughter of King Malcolm II. Tickets £4 including guided walk, storytelling and light refreshments. Find out more
The festival is jointly organised by Lanark Community Development Trust and Discover Lanark as part of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.
This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players. Information about individual events and how to book places will be available on this website page and the Discover Lanark Facebook page from the middle of September.
