Scotland’s newest city came to a standstill at the weekend as thousands lined the streets of Perth to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
As grateful thanks for the Queen’s gift of city status, Perth organised the largest celebrations north of the border, though an attempt to get Perth into the record books narrowly failed when it fell just sort of the required number in the kilt run.
Communities throughout Perth and Kinross also backed the jubilee celebrations with events staged in Blairgowrie, Crieff, Coupar Angus, Pitlochry and villages and hamlets throughout the district over the weekend.
The international flavour of the celebrations was evident in Saturday’s 1,000 pipers parade in Perth, when people lined the route from the North Inch to the bottom of the High Street.
”When we put out the call to pipers and pipe bands to join us in a parade today, we had an unprecedented response from around the world,” Provost Liz Grant said. ”There are pipers here today from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Scotland and the USA.
”The pipers were joined in the parade by our local youth organisations and, on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council, I would like to thank them for their overwhelming support.”
The support of visitors from abroad was also evident in the crowds thronging the city. Among them was former Perth man Tosh Dailly (46), who now lives in Ontario, Canada.
”I am a fairly frequent visitor to Perth I still have relations here but I planned this trip to coincide with the jubilee,” he said. ”It is great to see Perth putting on such a huge event. I am proud of my home city.”
The kilt run was the other major spectacle of the day in Perth, which seemed to capture the imagination of the public and runners alike.
Thousands of spectators and people taking part in the Big Lunch event on the North Inch took a break from the musical entertainment to cheer on an attempt to break the record for a kilted run.
Headed by round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont, among those taking part were council chief executive Bernadette Malone and Perthshire North MSP John Swinney.
Initial estimates were that the record for the most people taking part in a run in kilts would be broken, with well over a thousand people signed up, but unfortunately only 1,074 crossed the start line not quite enough to beat the record of 1,089 held by another Perth, this one in Ontario.
First past the post was Neilson Hall in a time of 24 minutes and 55 seconds, with Jack Goodwin second and Matt Janes third in 25:44 and 26:24 respectively. All three were visiting Perth from Bedford for Matt’s stag weekend.
The first woman to finish was Jane Hanson from Dundee in a time of 31 minutes and 56 seconds.
Mr Swinney said: ”The whole event in Perth was a great family day out and an opportunity for us all to express our thanks to the Queen for her 60 years of public service.”Click here for a full photo gallery