Our Gala celebrations started this year with the Gala BBQ in Provost Park. Helpers arrived about 5.30 to start setting up in warm sunshine however by the time the crowds started arriving at 6.30 the sun had disappeared, the wind changed direction and the clouds looked extremely heavy. The BBQ continued however although the heavens did open just in time to thwart Maitland's attempts at starting the annual tug o' war. The competition did get under way slightly later than planned and this year, for the first time was won by the Millbrae team.

Nichola and Ian worked hard at managing the BBQ with their many helpers whilst Catriona and Graham organised the side stalls including the bouncy castle. Gordon managed the sports and the football and netball tournaments got under way.

All in all, although cold and wet, the general feedback was another great night.

Gala day on Saturday started more promisingly with slightly warmer temperatures and no immediate threat of rain.

The fancy dress parade gathered at the school for the start of the parade at 1.30pm. We had a change to tradition this year and instead of having a Gala Queen and attendant the names of the Primary 7 children were put in a hat and a girl and boy were chosen to be the Gala Queen and the Laird o' Gargunnock. The children chosen were Tabitha Hendry as Queen and Callum Bain as the Laird. Both Callum and Tabitha arrived at the school in a decorated car, chauffeured by Bobby Simpson and looked fantastic, Callum in full dress kilt and Tabi in a beautiful cream dress. Following the sad death very recently of Dan the pony who has pulled the cart containing the Queen for many years, the committee were fortunate to be able to call on the assistance of Ian and Sharon Watt of Hillhead Farm who provided a sparkling tractor pulling a decorated trailer to take the Laird and Queen up to the park. The tractor started it's journey and the parade of children in their fancy dress costumes followed on behind.

A surprise awaited in the park, our usual compere, Kindly Shopkeeper (alias Maitland Clark of Number 1 Main Street) was unable to attend and had sent instead Baby K, his young son. Baby K was slightly underdressed for the occasion but coped well considering this was his first public appearance without his parents!

The crowning ceremony took place once everyone was in the park. The Queen was crowned and presented with the Moira McPhate rosebowl by last year's Queen, Eilidh McRae. To invest Callum as Laird, Eilidh presented him with a crook, donated to the Gala by Richard Blore of Touch Mollar, and also the Laird's Quaich.

The judging of the fancy dress this year was undertaken by Mr and Mrs Angus Mailer, Mrs Mailer recently retired from working in the school for some 30 years. As always the standard of fancy dress was superb and choosing winners was an extremely difficult task. The eventual winners however were:

Toddlers : 1st Lorna Farquhar, 2nd Anna McLachlan, 3rd Megan Leonard

Playgroup and Nursery : 1st Madeleine Gill, 2nd Maisie Ferguson, 3rd Angus Bain

Primary 1 : 1st Georgina Finlay, 2nd Emma Christie, 3rd Cameron Scott

Primary 2 : 1st Hannah Gilles, 2nd Mark Mayhew, 3rd Alistair Petrie

Primary 3 : Joint 1st Amy Bruce and Grace Gill, 2nd Scott MacArthur, 3rd Juliet Jones

Primary 4 : 1st Kirsten McAllister, 2nd Cameron Armstrong, 3rd Emily Anderson

Primary 5 : 1st Merran Blackwood, 2nd Amy Meiklejohn, 3rd Elizabeth Tytler

Primary 6 : 1st Alexandra Lindsay, 2nd Jean Parry, 3rd Andrew Tighe

Primary 7 : 1st Louise Mansion, 2nd Rhona Hendry, 3rd David Mayhew

High School : 1st Victoria Hendry

Groups : 1st Sean, Mark and Michaela Mayhew as Shrek, 2nd Kevin Ferguson and Darren Petrie as Posh and Becks, 3rd Gilly Bruce and Claire Gill as Patsy and Edina

Adults : 1st Maitland Clark, 2nd Claire Gill, 3rd Gilly Bruce

The judging over the side stalls opened for business as did the tea room. Patsy and Edina were busy all afternoon selling tickets for their Absolutely Fabulous raffle, Andra McPhate ran his annual treasure hunt whilst there were also beat the goalie competitions, coconut shy, bat the rat and many other entertainments.

The races began and were enjoyed by children and adult and these over the serious business of  the football final got underway, the closely fought match eventually won by the bibbed team.

The day finished with the raffle prizes being drawn and then the first ever Great Gargunnock Gala Balloon Race, sponsored by The Gargunnock Inn began. Baby K gave a count down and all the balloons were released sailing high up over the village. The race winner announced at the end of August is the Keir family of Main Street. Their balloon traveled all the way to Germany!

The day was drawing to a close, the park was cleared and the children headed home to don their best clothes and dance the night away at the Gala disco whilst the committee sat down to a fantastic buffet organised by the Gargunnock Inn.

Perhaps this was not the warmest Gala Day we've had but the village spirit was alive as always and a great day was had by all.