It’s Glastonbury to Govanhill for festival favourite Corbyn
HE was a firm hit at Glastonbury and now Jeremy Corbyn is set for a repeat performance... in Govanhill.
The Labour leader – who was a hit on the Pyramid Stage – is on the bill for an anti-racism festival on Glasgow’s South Side.
Hundreds are expected to take part in the inaugural Govanhill International Carnival and Govanhill Against Racism event.
Organised by Govanhill Community Baths Trust, the three-day festival aims to bring together people from across the diverse area. Jim Monaghan, administrator at Govanhill Baths, has been instrumental in setting up the event, which will be held in Queen’s Park.
He said: “We’re really hoping people like the idea of two days in the park listening to music and speeches.
“Jeremy Corbyn is a bit of a rock celebrity now, after Glastonbury, and so we’re hoping the crowds receive him in the same way they did there.
“We have an excellent line-up of bands who should appeal to a wide audience.”
Some 15 groups are involved with the Govanhill International Carnival, which has been timed to coincide with the Glasgow Unity Festival.
The Unity Festival celebrates the city’s multicultural heritage with a series of talks and workshops.
The carnival is to be held on Saturday, August 26 and will start with a parade through Govanhill at 1pm from Govanhill Park to Queen’s Park.
In Queen’s Park there will be bands and family entertainment at the Bandstand until 5pm.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be present to open the event while Jeremy Corbyn will speak from the Queen’s Park Bandstand stage on Sunday.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar will be speaking on Monday.
Sunday, August 27 will see Roots Rock Reggae Against Racism, while August 28 will be Rock Against Racism to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rock Against Racism movement.
Bands include Black Grape, Black Roots and Aswad, who were involved with one of the earliest Rock Against Racism gigs, in London’s Victoria Park in 1968.
Jim added: “We hope the Govanhill International Carnival will become an annual event and be Glasgow’s version of the Notting Hill Carnival.
“We’re starting small but we hope it gets bigger year after year.”
Ms Sturgeon said: “Govanhill is such a uniquely diverse part of Glasgow and the carnival will be a great opportunity to celebrate this diversity.”