An exciting new art festival is coming to the west end this summer and to celebrate the team is launching its programme of events this weekend with a samba band performance tour.
WestFest will bring together over 100 cultural and community events from Friday, June 2 until Sunday, June 25, across over 50 venues across Glasgow’s west end.
And the team will be launching their June programme on Saturday, April 22 with the samba band tour with free, outdoor pop-up performances from the likes of Sambayabamba and BrassAye all taking place at locations such as Kelvingrove Park, Ashton Lane and Glasgow Botanic Gardens and WestFest are inviting folk from across Glasgow to come and join them.
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Here are the WestFest samba locations and performance times:
The team will be handing out free WestFest brochures at the launch, of which 50,000 will be distributed across the West End and central belt from next week.
Thumbing through their colourful A5 brochure, you can see the wide array of events planned for June.
WestFest features a colourful mix of concerts, performances, recitals, galas and exhibitions; across music, theatre, comedy and visual art. You can also expect lots of special highlights such as Luke Jerram’s Gaia at McIntosh Queens Cross, the Glasgow Mela, the Glasgow Vintage Open Bus Tour and the return of the annual Kelvingrove Outdoor Ceilidh.
The jewel in WestFest’s crown will be the free programme of community events across every weekend in June such as The Big Sunday at Kelvingrove Bandstand, Vinicombe Street Gala, the Mansfield Park Street Festival and the ever-popular annual Queen Margaret Drive Festival.
WestFest’s Director Brendon McIlroy, who founded the festival in 2022 in response to ‘overwhelming demand’ for community and cultural events in the West End, in the absence of former festivals, said: "It's hugely exciting that we are finally able to launch WestFest this year. It’s been four years since there was a proper festival in the West End and after a very challenging few years people need events, arts and culture in their lives more than ever.
"The terrific attendance and overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received for our events last year, demonstrates more than ever that there is a big demand for accessible events and activities in the West End. It would be hugely disappointing if there wasn't some form of festival again this year."
As well as their events programme, WestFest has a commitment to outreach and education with a range of workshops and projects planned with community groups and a schools book programme which has been ongoing since October last year.
Brendon added: "At the end of the day this is all about responding to community needs and giving people what they want. Events programmes are becoming increasingly difficult to deliver in light of funding cuts and if WestFest doesn't fill the void- who will?’
"People need a bit of levity and fun in their lives more than ever and we are uniquely placed to deliver that."
You can find more information on WestFest and the events brochure at www.westfest.uk
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