Great Place Falkirk hosting online events to celebrate area's heritage and stories

Great Place Falkirk has shifted its focus towards digital engagement and the development of online resources throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the initiative has planned an Our Stories Falkirk night on Friday (March 12) with guest artist and electronic folk duo Burd Ellen.

The event will start at 7pm and see a virtual audience treated to an evening of storytelling, infused with spellbinding music.

From medieval battles, to the travelling tales of the drovers of the Falkirk Tryst and the mythical Kelpies, the Falkirk area is rich with history.

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Guests are invited to grab a cuppa and join and explore tales of history in the company of acclaimed storytellers and folk performers.

The line-up includes: Margaret Bennett, an internationally distinguished folklorist, singer and writer from the Isle of Skye; Paraig MacNeil, a performance poet, traditional singer, writer, author and broadcaster; and Amanda Edmiston, known as Botanica Fabula, an artist and storyteller with a background in herbal medicine.

To book a space, click here.

Great Place Falkirk will then host a Bairns Night on Friday, March 26 (7pm).

The event, which will examine what it means to be a Falkirk Bairn, will feature a colourful bunch of local writers and artists who’ll share their thoughts and memories from growing up in the area through anecdotes, poems and songs.

Playwright and novelist Alan Bissett, musician and filmmaker Adam Stafford, novelist Helen MacKinven and short story writer Paul Cowan will all play a part.

The winners of a Great Place Falkirk short story competition, titled 500 Words for Falkirk, will also be introduced.

Some of the winning entrants will be invited to share their stories with the public for the very first time.

To reserve a spot, visit the website.

Anyone who is interested in local history and the heritage of the Falkirk area, can visit the main website or download the Falkirk Explored app, which is available for free for on iOS and Android phones.

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