THE organisers of this summer’s Tall Ships Races in Lerwick have unveiled an action-packed family programme including fairground attractions, circus performers, educational activities, facepainting, children’s stories – and a guest appearance from an infamously wayward pirate.
Aberdeen-based amusement park Codona’s will bring a range of rides for all ages to Lerwick for the four-day event, which takes place between 26-29 July. The daily attractions will be sited at the car park for the Stewart Building, adjacent to Laurenson Quay.
The Flying Seagull Project will offer a stage show every day featuring music, stilt-walking and magic tricks, as well as walkabout performances. The project’s team, who are on a mission to make children the world over laugh, deliver their circus act in far-flung places throughout the globe and include local lass Donna Simpson among their number.
Children and adults alike will have the opportunity to remember the day they almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow. The show-stealing character from Pirates of the Caribbean will be staging walkabout performances, joined by Mr Gibbs, in the town centre and at Holmsgarth. The visit of the lookalike, who has over 1 million TikTok followers, is sponsored by Living Lerwick.
Traditional rope-making workshops and demonstrations for young and old will be on offer from Mark Shiner of the Orkney Navigation School at a specially-created “beachfront” area, dubbed the “Costa Del Fun”, at Alexandra Quay.
Glasgow Science Centre, which has been visiting schools all over Shetland recently, will be resident at a special tech tent at Holmsgarth. Its demonstrations and activities will include exhibits on physiology and anatomy, as well as a focus on powering the future and how humanity might meet its energy needs. The tech tent will also include stalls run by Saxa Vord Spaceport and SSE Renewables.
UHI Shetland will be providing a range of interactive activities, along with information about courses available in the islands, and will be based in the family tent at Alexandra Quay.
Shetland Library will be offering bookbug children’s storytelling sessions every morning in a tent at Victoria Pier, while Holmsgarth will host a rotating display of vintage vehicles thanks to the Shetland Classic Motor Show.
Craft activities, a treasure hunt, morning fitness workouts and a marching conga – led by the Saltire Street Band + Friends – will also feature during an exciting four days. All of the activities, with the exception of some of the Codona’s attractions, will be free to access.
Shetland Tall Ships Ltd project manager Emma Miller said: “It’s great to be able to bring in new things that aren’t normally accessible in Shetland, and it’s really important to ensure we’ve got a range of activities suitable for all ages and abilities.
“With around 40 spectacular Tall Ship masts providing the backdrop, we hope these attractions will help make the event something really memorable that people will be able to look back on fondly for years to come.”
