10th - 26th June

Street Parties

Glasgow's West End Festival is spreading its wings this year with many new events, venues and three street parties in different locations - as well as Byres Road, Partick and Hillhead will get in on the action.

Street Party 1 - Opening Parade - Sunday 12th June

Glasgow's West End Festival Opening Parade- is one of the highlights of the Carnival. It kicks of at 3 p.m. - local schools and community projects participate in the event co-ordinated by Bazooka Arts and Samba Ya Bamba. Enjoy the carnival atmosphere and festivities with bands, stalls,a funfair and the local shops, restauraunts and cafes rising to the occasion.

Street Party 2 - Lower Half of Byres Road, Sunday 19th June

The main location for this event will be the area closed off to traffic between Church Street and Dumbarton Road. 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Lots of stalls, music and a funfair. You will find lots of interesting shops, cafes and some great restaurants in Partick. Head to Hummingbird for a real gastronomic treat, pop into the Mansfield Gallery, who are participating in the Festival and if you can't resist the shops you are sure to pick up a bargain at Handbags 'n Gladrags.

Street Party - Gibson St, Hillhead Sunday 25th June

A great new venture for the WEF, the area will be closed off from Otago Street to Woodlands between 2 - p.m. Stalls, Music, Theatre and a Funfair and with the added attraction of Kelvingrove Park. Lots of food and drink. If you stay for the day you can finish off with some good food in Stravaigin, the new Chow in Bank Street or Glasgow's curry institution the Shish Mahal in Park Road.

More Parties

There are also launch and and other parties where you can celebrate indoors. The Official WEF Launch Party will take place on 9th June, from 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. in The Loft, Ashton Lane. Free Event
Free invitations available from the Loft and the Lane

The WEF After Parade Party

This event will take place at The Hive, Glasgow University Union. 7 p.m. till late. £4 on the door.
Info. 0141 339 8697

Events

West End Walks

There is a fantastic range of events in this year's programme, which will appeal to people of all ages and interests. One of the big attractions in previous years have been the West End Walks - tickets usually sell out pretty fast. This year the number of walks have been extended so let the experts guide and inform you of particular aspects of the West End including: Gardens of the West End, An Artist's Hillhead, Alexander 'Greek' Thomson and so on. Guides include Gordon Urquhart, author of 'Along Great Western Road'and Ian R. Mitchell.

West End Weekend

For really indepth information on the architecture and history of the area you can sign up for some illustrated lectures. A great opportunity to combine learning and entertainment - based on the highly successful University of Glasgow's West End Lectures.
The event will take place in the wonderful new Wolfson Medical School, University Avenue.
Friday 10, Saturday 11, Sunday 12 June
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - £32 per day
Tickets and information from Department of Adult and Continuing Education. 0141 330 1853.
I particularly recommend catching my good friend Eleanor Gordon on her special topic of social and family history.

There are lots of opportunities to find out about developments in the West End - Hillhead Library is the place to find out about The Restoration of the Kelvingrove Bandstand and you can also find out about Local History on the Web and the Refurbishment of Kelvingrove Friday 10th June, 2.30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Free. Hillhead Library.
Information: 0141 339 7223

Paintings on Railings

Participating in the festival for the 10th year. Saturdays 11th, 18th and 25th and Sundays 12th, 19th and 26th. 10 - 6 p.m. at the Botanic Gardens Railings, Queen Margaret Drive.
Artists wishing to participate should contact: Lynne Scobbie 07779977612.

Art 'n' Poetry 'n' Motion

Good to see Anniesland College participating in the festival. Student poetry set to motion via the magic of digital technology. Opening evening Tuesday 21st, 6 p.m., there will be a special dance and poetry reading even.
Tues 21 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. - Wednesday 22nd - Friday 24th June, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Free)
Information: 0141 357 3969

Too new to be in the official programme is the West End's own Go Potty Ceramic Studio at 691 Great Western Road. Lots of fun to be had for adults and children.

Childrens' Activities

Glasgow City Council Libraries are playing a key role in the festival with lots of activies for children including: storytelling, songs, puzzles and games in Partick, Anniesland, Whiteinch and Maryhill Libraries. Many of the events are free and include .
Information from Hillhead Library: 0141 287 2864.

Lots of the events are free and sound like fun - Barbeque and Family Fun - sounds like it could be a good day out at Cottier's, Hyndland, with South American flavours in the beer garden.
Saturdays 11th, 18th and 25th June and Sundays 12th, 19th and 26th. From noon.
For information: 0141 357 5825

There are also some super events for children at Gilmorehill, University of Glasgow. This includes Margaret Ryan presenting Airy Fairy and Captain Motley's Crew Tuesday 14th June, and Julia Donaldson presenting the modern classic The Gruffalo Song and other Songs Saturday 11th June.
£3.50 - tickets: 0141 330 5522

Or bring the whole class - p4/5 and p5/6 can encounter the world's first super-hero Fan-tastic Events with Captain Fact - Wednesday, 15th June
£30 per class.
Bookings 0141 330 5522

Music and Theatre

The Festival Programme includes a tantalising range of musical events including:

• At the West End Festival at OranMor - you can have a FLING at Ceilidh in a Club in the wonderful Auditorium.
  Sunday 12th June and Thursday 23rd June.
  Tickets from FOPP or TicketScotland 0870 220 1116.
• Also at The Venue,OranMor you can see Patty Griffin, Thursday 23rd June.
  Tickets £13.50. 0141 353 8000.
• The Lismore Sessions, Free, Live Traditional Music 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th and 26th June at 2 - 5 p.m. and 5 - 8 p.m.
• Brel offers a varied programme throughout the festival including: Three for Free Live Jazz Acts, 11th, 18th, 25th June at 2 p.m. and John Beattie and Friends (also Free) - should be a riot with the rugby internationalist - now sports commentator and an all-star band (his pals).
• The Goat down in Yorkhill also gets in on the action (WEF and Jazz Festival Programme at The Goat) including live broadcasting of Radio Magnetic Soundsystem
  Saturdays 11th, 18th, 25th june from 9 p.m. (Free)
• The Lansdowne, 7a Lansdowne Crescent, Kelvinbridge will provide entertainment every Saturday night during the festival with top DJ's and top tunes.
  9 p.m. till late.(Free)
• University of Glasgow, Sunday 12th June at 3 p.m. - Scottish Voices with helen Thomson (harp) - in the wonderful University Memorial Chapel, enter main gate, University Ave. (Free)

Theatre

Try to catch Sheila Reid's Rent Strike Memories with the Partick Community Players at South Park Church, 259 Dumbarton Road, Partick.
Wednesday 15h, Thursday 16th and Friday 17th June - 7.30 p.m.
Tickets £5 (£3) at the door or from 0141 579 5561

Glasgow Repertory Company will once more present Bard in the Botanics - Romeo and Juliet, Botanic Gardens, Great Western Road. Wednesday 22nd June - 9th july. 8.30 p.m. £9 (£6).
Tickets in advance from 08700 132652

If you are looking for a lively and scintillating show then Flamenco con Fusion at The Mackintosh Church, Queen's Cross, Maryhill, could be a good choice. Interesting location with music and dance.
Thursday 23, Saturday 25, Sunday 26th 8.00 p.m. £9(£7)
Information: 0141 946 6600

The foregoing highlights are just to whet your appetite - there are many, many more wonderful events, which you can find in the Festival Programme.