Published: Thursday, 31st July, 2008 08:10
Sunny Festival Week a spectacular success
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THE centuries old tradition of the riding of the marches was re-enacted in spectacular style on Saturday as more than 120 riders and their horses took part in the penultimate event of the Musselburgh Honest Toun’s Association (HTA) festival week.
Hundreds of residents turned out for the 9.30am start from Pinkie House, as the procession led by Honest Lad, Mark Lambert, carrying the Burgh Standard, began its long circuit of the ancient town boundaries.
The symbolic four-and-half-mile route took in Monktonhall, The Grove, Whitecraig and Fa’side Castle above Tranent before finishing at the old town hall in High Street at 1.30pm.
There, Councillor John Caldwell, acting civic head for the 72nd HTA festival, received the standard from the Honest Lad in time-honoured fashion.
As had been the case throughout festival week, warm weather brought out bumper crowds for the afternoon finale – a family fun day at the racecourse.
The festival programme had kicked-off in familiar fashion on July 19 with another large turnout for the ‘Kirkin’ parade from Musselburgh Town Hall to St Michael’s Church. After a service, the Honest Lad and Kimberly Riddoch, this year’s Honest Lass, laid an anchor wreath at the old parish memorial cross in honour of the town’s war dead.
Things stepped up a gear last Monday evening with the traditional Crusaders’ Chase producing thrills and a spill.
Some 104 horses and riders from the Crusaders Riding Club forded the Esk en route to Fa’side Castle, although not all the participants made it safely across the river.
The 1993 Honest Lad, Neil Wilson, came a cropper while helping to calm his wife Nikki’s mount, which had refused to cross near the Roman bridge.
Despite taking an embarrassing early bath, he saw the funny side of it, later turning up for the Crusaders dance at Eskmills Bowling Club wearing a diving mask and snorkel.
When the riders reached the castle, 1967 Honest Lad Jackie Powell read out the Crusaders Riding Club Charter.
Last Tuesday, more glorious summer weather illuminated the children’s fancy dress street party in Stoneyhill Terrace. That night, eight teams from the community competed in the popular five-a-side football tournament on Musselburgh Links.
The sashing ceremony of the Honest Lad and Lass took place last Wednesday on the banks of the Esk, while the following morning saw the revival of the historic harbour ceremony – when officials arrived on the ‘Reaper’ from Anstruther, Fife.
An assortment of vehicles took part in the fancy dress parade last Friday night, with judging taking place in the grounds of Loretto School.
Thanking everyone involved in setting up the festival, HTA president Andrew Gordon said: “Things could not have gone any better.
“We had the weather, the crowds and the organisation to make this one of the most successful festivals of recent years.”
l Festival week pictures, pages 16 & 17.
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