When will the 2021 Bo'ness Fair be taking place

For the second year in a row, a much reduced ceremony to crown the Fair Queen will be happening in Bo’ness this summer.
A small crowning ceremony took place behind closed doors in 2020 and the same is planned for this year.  Pic: Linda Millar.A small crowning ceremony took place behind closed doors in 2020 and the same is planned for this year.  Pic: Linda Millar.
A small crowning ceremony took place behind closed doors in 2020 and the same is planned for this year. Pic: Linda Millar.

The annual Bo’ness Children’s Fair Festival should traditionally have been taking place on Friday, June 25, however once again the ongoing pandemic has meant the usual large scale celebrations are not to be.

Queen Elect Ellie Van Der Hoek will still be crowned queen for the 2021 Fair, this year on August 13, during a smaller ceremony, similar to the one which took place in 2020.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Grange Primary pupil and her family – mum Laura, dad Tom, sister Kallie and brother Koen – are said to be over the moon she was chosen by her fellow classmates for the role and they are glad the Fair is taking place in some form this year.

Mrs Valerie McKay is “thrilled” to have the honour of crowning Ellie.

She is very well known in the town and is probably best known as author and editor of Sons a’ Brass, 150 years of Bo’ness and Carriden Band.

Last month the Fair Executive Committee confirmed it would go ahead with this year’s Fair in August, on a smaller scale which meets with current Scottish Government Covid-19 guidelines.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The organisers had hoped that by the time the 2021 Fair came around restrictions would have eased enough for proceedings to return to something more akin to normal, however with months of planning and fundraising required for the annual event, it was not to be again this year.

Read More
Historic Grangemouth Children's Day as queen is crowned by her mum

It is anticipated the event in August will be held behind closed doors as it was in 2020 when Queen Lily Harvey was crowned by Fiona Burns in front of her Kinneil Primary retinue at a ceremony which took place in the grounds of St Mary’s Church.

The ceremony was streamed online to allow the town and those from further afield to join in the celebrations.

It is intended that the same will happen this year.

The 2021 retinue from Grange Primary has also been confirmed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The line up is: Queen Elect – Ellie Van der Hoek; Chief Lady – Jenna Purdie; Queen of the Fairies – Jane Nicholson; Queen of the Flowers – Evie Lapsley; Champion – Fraser Gemmell; Chief Lord in Waiting – Evan Gilbert; Lord in Waiting – Alfie MacLachlan; Chief Herald – Jason Boyne; Herald – Ben Murdoch; Crown – Richie Kinniburgh; Sceptre – Steven Lawler; Sword – Riley McCallum; Yeoman of the Guard – Max Henderson & Rory MacLennan; Ex Queen – Lily Harvey; Queen’s Pages – Ruaridh Webster, Jamie Rodgers; Maids of Honour (Bower Girls) – Paige Anderson, Brooke Don, Imogen Carr, Darcey Earle, Summer Spence, Samantha Stewart, Emma Johnston; Ladies In Waiting – Willow Murtagh, Bella Gemmell, Rebecca Houston, Elsie Miller, Sophia Clark, Lucie Livingston, Ebony Jackson, Millie-Jo Cram, Kallie Van Der Hoek; Guards of Honour – Moray Snedden, Jamie Blackwood, Lee Cameron, Robbie Duncan, Harrison Learmonth, Bryce Lindsay, Kayden Sommerville, Kieran Wilson, Noah Sneddon, Oscar Campbell & Aaron Hunter.

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.

Related topics: