Race will mark Mary Queen of Scots date
A day marking Mary, Queen of Scots’ escape from a Kinrossshire castle will be held next month.
The Rotary Club of Kinross and District is hosting a day of boat races and activities in Kirkgate Park, Kinross on Sunday, September 1.
It will commemorate Mary, Queen of Scots dramatic escape from Loch Leven Castle on a rowing boat back in 1568.
The event in Kirkgate Park will kick off at noon, with the first race at 12.30pm, followed by races throughout the afternoon.
There will be two categories of races, one for experienced rowers and one for inexperienced rowers.
Teams of five will be equipped with a life vest and safety instructions, and one team member must be dressed as the Scottish queen.
The team member who is dressed up will start the race by running a short distance to the water to join ‘her’ team in their boat.
Two boats at a time will then race through the course, which starts and finishes from the pier, and the ‘Mary’ must then hop back out of the boat and run back to the starting point.
Each race will be timed and there will be prizes for the fastest in each category and for the best dressed Mary, with teams able to enter as often as they wish.
As well as the competition, there will be live music by KYTHE, a bouncy castle, street football, ‘come and try’ golf, face painting by Swansacre Playgroup and tombola stalls.
In the afternoon, Professor David Munro will lead walking tours around Kirkgate Park to learn more about Mary, Queen of Scots and her great escape from Loch Leven Castle.
Rotarians will be cooking up a barbecue as well and the ladies of the Inner Wheel will be providing home baking and ice cream, as well as coffee from Unorthodox Roasters and beer from Loch Leven Brewery. The boat race will take place in Kirkgate Park
Although entry to the day of activities is free, organisers are asking participants to hand in a donation, which will go towards charities supported by the Rotary club. To enter one of the boat races, contact Robert Mitchell on randd105@gmail. com. Those interested in running a stall can contact George Lawrie on gt.lawrie@ gmail.com or 07879883803.