THE Musselburgh Festival gets under way on Saturday with a 10k and Kids Fun Run at the Loretto Playing Fields at 10.30am.

The municipal bowling green hosts a bowling contest at 10.30am.

A swimming gala is held at Musselburgh Sports Centre at 12.30pm and, at 1pm, Lewisvale Park is the venue for a festival dog show.

The karaoke final is at Loretto Community Hall at 7pm.

The Kirkin’ on Sunday at St Michael’s Church, Inveresk, heralds the official start to festival week. The service will be attended by councillors, past Honest Lads and Honest Lasses, committees of the Honest Toun’s Association, local and youth organisations. The procession leaves the Old Town Hall at 10.30am to make its way to the church. After the Kirkin’, Honest Lad Aidan McLaren and Honest Lass Ellen Brown will lay a wreath at the war memorial.

This will be followed by the sashing at 1pm at The Mall on the banks of the River Esk. The Honest Lad and Honest Lass of 2022, Jack McFarlane and Amy Rooke, hand over their emblem of office to be placed on their successors by the sasher, football legend Billy Brown. The Honest Lad will receive the burgh flag from Councillor Andy Forrest, honorary provost for 2023, who charges him to carry it “unsullied and unstained” throughout the week. The jewelled riding crop is presented to the Honest Lass, who performs the time-honoured ceremony of ‘bussing the colours’.

Monday see a treasure hunt enjoyed at 10.30am at the Loretto Playing Fields.

There is the chance to see the Crusaders’ Chase at 5.30pm as riders and horses ford the Esk at the Roman Bridge, led by Crusaders’ captain Sarah Hawes, the 1997 Honest Lass. A duck race will be enjoyed afterwards at 6pm.

The riders will proceed down Eskside, over the Rennie Bridge, up Dalrymple Loan to Inveresk Road, then to Inveresk Village, on to Carberry and Crookston Farm, where they will arrive at about 7.15pm. After the stop at the farm, the riders will head back to Musselburgh via Wallyford, where traditionally a bouquet is presented to the Honest Lass and buttonhole to the Honest Lad. Back in Musselburgh, a spectacular gallop is enjoyed along the beach no earlier than 8.15pm.

After the flag-raising ceremony at the harbour, the procession will proceed onto North High Street, making its way to the Roman Bridge, which it crosses again. The Crusaders’ Chase dance is at Eskmills Bowling Club that evening.

On Tuesday, Musselburgh Sports Centre hosts a badminton competition. The junior ride is set for 6pm that day, leaving from Inveresk Industrial Estate. Olivebank Stadium hosts festival football at 6.30pm.

A fun cycle leaves Eskmills Industrial Estate at 12.30pm on Wednesday.

Members of the community can attend a tea dance at 2pm at Northesk Church Hall next Thursday (July 27). A quiz night at the Ravelston takes place at 7pm.

At 10am next Friday (July 28), youngsters can Spot the Cuckoo on High Street at 10am when they must spot the item in shop windows which doesn’t match the shop.

The fancy dress parade assembles at Loretto Playing Fields at 6.15pm, followed by a fancy dress disco at 8pm at Musselburgh Rugby Club.

The festival day rideout starts at 8.50am next Saturday (July 29) at Balcarres Road. Festival fun day attractions begin at 1pm at Musselburgh Racecourse, featuring music, food and drink, and entertainment including a dunk tank, pony rides, face-painting, a stilt-walking magician and balloon modelling for children. Later that day, the Big Burgh Bash takes place at the Masonic Lodge at 7pm.

The festival closes next Sunday (July 30) with the harbour ceremony at Fisherrow Harbour, 12.45pm. The Honest Lad and Honest Lass head out on to the Forth in the last working fishing boat in Fisherrow. After returning, the official party will perform the eightsome reel.

Following the ceremony, Eskmuthe Rowing Club has a come-and-try session in their skiffs.

The festival fancy dress ball is back and takes place on November 11 at 7pm in the Wiremill.

Visit the festival’s website musselburghfestival.org for more information on all events.