THE Musselburgh Festival may have been taken online this week due to the pandemic, but a small, private ceremony was still able to be held outside St Michael’s Church, Inveresk, on Sunday.

The Kirkin’ of the Honest Lad and Lass at St Michael’s traditionally marks the beginning of the festival.

Because of Covid, no Honest Lad nor Honest Lass was elected this year and a virtual festival – involving mainly images and film from yesteryear – has been taking place this week instead.

However, a very small and socially distanced gathering was held outside St Michael’s on Sunday.

Alison Elgin, Honest Toun’s Association president, said: “In a quiet ceremony, on what would have been Kirkin’ Sunday, the anchor wreath was laid by our 25th anniversary Honest Lad and Honest Lass, Dean Bosworth and Gillian Steel, supported by our 50th anniversary Honest Lad and Honest Lass, Reno Di Rollo and Elize Rutherford, and our 60th anniversary Honest Lad and Honest Lass, George Innes and Liz Moran.

“We congratulate them, their attendants and all our other anniversary Lads, Lasses and attendants on their milestone years, and thank you to our townsfolk for their continued support and friendship.”

And she added: “We hope that you enjoy reminiscing over our photographs and films this week and are ever hopeful that 2022 brings us together in celebration again.”