Big in Falkirk
Encyclopedia
Big in Falkirk was a festival of the arts held in Falkirk
, Scotland
from 2000 to 2009.
Since its inception in 2000, the award-winning (Scottish Thistle Award Events & Festivals 2005), free weekend event was one of the largest cultural events in Scotland, attracting over 100,000 people. Located in Falkirk
’s historical 180 acre (0.7284348 km²) Callendar Park with Callendar House
as the focal point, the entertainment featured a wide variety of outdoor theatre, pyrotechnic displays, art, comedy and big name music acts alongside activities for all ages.
Big in Falkirk showcased original outdoor contemporary theatre, whilst also working closely with artists to nurture creativity. Previous festivals have included world premieres such as Walk the Plank
’s Swan Song which closed Saturday’s proceedings in 2006. UK premieres have included Groupe F (the company responsible for illuminating the Eiffel Tower
during the millennium celebrations), Compagnie Jo Bithume, Plasticiens Volants and Teatre Osmego D’nia.
Alongside this, Big in Falkirk presented some of the most popular names in music having previously welcomed Snow Patrol
, The Stranglers
, Deacon Blue
, Bob Geldof
and Midge Ure
to the music stage. The festival had also managed to secure acts just before they hit the big time, with McFly, Orson
and Sandi Thom
celebrating Number One singles during or immediately after playing at Big in Falkirk.
Big in Falkirk 2007 was on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May and headlined with The Human League
and Heaven 17
Big in Falkirk 2008 took place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May and featured Levellers
, 10cc
, The Complete Stone Roses
, Peatbog Faeries
, Day Of Days, Nutkhut's Bollywood Steps and the world premiere of The World Famous' Full Circle, which closed the Festival on the Sunday.
Big in Falkirk 2009 celebrated its 10th edition which took place on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May and featured Stereo MCs
and Capercaillie
. Day Of Days returned to become the first band to play in consecutive Big in Falkirk festivals. Also, new and upcoming bands such as The Ray Summers, The Skinflints, Young Fathers as well as The Sears and Braebach showcased their music during the weekend. On Sunday night, the night came to an end as a spectacular pyrotechnic show to celebrate 2009 as the Homecoming Year and to also dedicate the famous Scottish poet on his 250th birthday featuring a special commendation to Tam O' Shanter
- one of Robert Burns' well-known poems - and a piper brigade circling the courtyard of Callendar House. The Festival closed with a picture lit by fire to reveal a love heart around the portrait of Robert Burns as fireworks painted the Saltire
in the sky.
Big in Falkirk was canceled in 2010.
Big in Falkirk also worked with festivals such as Glasgow's Merchant City Festival
and Spain's Valladolid
.
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
from 2000 to 2009.
Since its inception in 2000, the award-winning (Scottish Thistle Award Events & Festivals 2005), free weekend event was one of the largest cultural events in Scotland, attracting over 100,000 people. Located in Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
’s historical 180 acre (0.7284348 km²) Callendar Park with Callendar House
Callendar House
Callendar House is a mansion set within the grounds of Callendar Park in Falkirk, central Scotland. Its present form, in the style of a French Renaissance château, dates from the 19th century, although at its core is a 14th-century tower house...
as the focal point, the entertainment featured a wide variety of outdoor theatre, pyrotechnic displays, art, comedy and big name music acts alongside activities for all ages.
Big in Falkirk showcased original outdoor contemporary theatre, whilst also working closely with artists to nurture creativity. Previous festivals have included world premieres such as Walk the Plank
Walk the Plank (theatre company)
Walk the Plank are a British group of artists, theatre makers, pyrotechnicians and event engineers who specialise in outdoor arts/theatre, touring performance and pyrotechnics....
’s Swan Song which closed Saturday’s proceedings in 2006. UK premieres have included Groupe F (the company responsible for illuminating the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
during the millennium celebrations), Compagnie Jo Bithume, Plasticiens Volants and Teatre Osmego D’nia.
Alongside this, Big in Falkirk presented some of the most popular names in music having previously welcomed Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
, The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow during 1985. Their name was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". The band consists of vocalist Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond....
, Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
and Midge Ure
Midge Ure
James "Midge" Ure, OBE is a Scottish guitarist, singer, keyboard player, and songwriter...
to the music stage. The festival had also managed to secure acts just before they hit the big time, with McFly, Orson
Orson
-Places:*Orson, Pennsylvania, a very small town in Preston Township, Pennsylvania in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.*Orson, Indiana, a small fictional town in the TV series The Middle.-People:*Orson Scott Card, science fiction author...
and Sandi Thom
Sandi Thom
Alexandria "Sandi" Thom is a Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She became widely known in 2006 after a series of webcasts and the success of the single "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker ".-1984–2004: Early life:Thom was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire...
celebrating Number One singles during or immediately after playing at Big in Falkirk.
Big in Falkirk 2007 was on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May and headlined with The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
and Heaven 17
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
Big in Falkirk 2008 took place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May and featured Levellers
Levellers
The Levellers were a political movement during the English Civil Wars which emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, all of which were expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People". They came to prominence at the end of the First...
, 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
, The Complete Stone Roses
The Complete Stone Roses
The Complete Stone Roses is a 1995 compilation of singles and B-sides by British indie band The Stone Roses. It was released without the band's input by their record company Silvertone, with whom they were embroiled in a protracted legal battle to terminate their five year contract.The album...
, Peatbog Faeries
Peatbog Faeries
The Peatbog Faeries are a largely instrumental Celtic fusion band. Formed in 1991, they are based in Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.Their music embodies many styles and influences, including folk, electronica, rock and jazz, - but their main influence is traditional celtic music...
, Day Of Days, Nutkhut's Bollywood Steps and the world premiere of The World Famous' Full Circle, which closed the Festival on the Sunday.
Big in Falkirk 2009 celebrated its 10th edition which took place on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May and featured Stereo MCs
Stereo MCs
Stereo MCs are an English electronic dance group, which formed in Clapham, London in 1985. They are best known worldwide for their 1992 transatlantic Top 20 hit single, "Connected"...
and Capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
. Day Of Days returned to become the first band to play in consecutive Big in Falkirk festivals. Also, new and upcoming bands such as The Ray Summers, The Skinflints, Young Fathers as well as The Sears and Braebach showcased their music during the weekend. On Sunday night, the night came to an end as a spectacular pyrotechnic show to celebrate 2009 as the Homecoming Year and to also dedicate the famous Scottish poet on his 250th birthday featuring a special commendation to Tam O' Shanter
Tam o' Shanter (Burns poem)
"Tam o' Shanter" is a poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1790. Many consider it to be one of the best examples of the narrative poem in modern European literature....
- one of Robert Burns' well-known poems - and a piper brigade circling the courtyard of Callendar House. The Festival closed with a picture lit by fire to reveal a love heart around the portrait of Robert Burns as fireworks painted the Saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
in the sky.
Big in Falkirk was canceled in 2010.
Big in Falkirk also worked with festivals such as Glasgow's Merchant City Festival
Merchant City Festival
The Merchant City Festival is a major cultural festival taking place in Glasgow's Merchant City area.Attracting more than 55,000 people, the four-day Festival presents the cream of Scotland’s theatre, music, visual arts, comedy, dance, film, fashion and food scene.The Festival presents opera...
and Spain's Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
.