Both festivals are returning – and what a win that is
who will take to the Hydro stage on September 10.
After his stellar set at last year’s TRNSMT – as well as his good act of charity to the boy who broke his leg in the crowd – this show is easily going to be one of the biggest of the year.
In quite a refreshing take on the usual “summer” festival, October and November bring some of the best local grassroots events to the city in the form of Tenement Trail and the Great Western Festival.
Although the dates are yet to be firmed up, the Glasgow Times has it on good authority that both festivals are returning – and what a win that is for music lovers in the city.
With Tenement Trail covering the East End and the Great Western covering the west, these two events showcase local and global acts in a quiet month.
2019 had the likes of Squid, CHK CHK CHK, Free Love and Sacred Paws in venues like the Glue Factory, so I’m sitting tight to see what they do next.
Finally, Deacon Blue are taking to the Hydro stage on December 4, and there is nothing like a good boogie to Dignity to remind you that Glasgow is one of the best cities in the world for music and culture.
There you have it – a whistlestop tour of what I expect to be the best shows to catch this year.
Naturally, I’ve done a disservice – it is impossible to pay dues to every brilliant act this year, and I’ve stayed away from club nights, DJ sets and spoken word performances, just because there are too many good ones available to see for me to include.
Go forth, music lovers, and fall in love with what Glasgow has to offer this year.
DESPITE its industrial heritage and urban setting, Glasgow is one of the greenest cities in the UK, with more than 90 parks and gardens for people to access and enjoy.
In fact, Glasgow means “dear green place” in Gaelic, and when you start to rhyme off the names of the parks such as Pollok, Victoria, Tollcross, Bellahouston, Kelvingrove, Queens Park, Glasgow Green and Glasgow Botanic Gardens, you can understand why.
But many of us take these green spaces for granted; they offer us so much enjoyment, yet little thought is given to those who care for them.
In 2018, we opened Glasgow’s first purposebuilt facility for horticulturists. The £1.8 million centre is based at our Langside campus, and consists of two modern workshops and three industrialsized greenhouses to support horticulture and plant growth. The centre is home to students studying on any of our 12 floristry, horticulture and landscaping courses.
We are proud to be supporting the next wave of professionals dedicated to the upkeep and growth of these areas. The demand for horticulture jobs is set to rise by 2.92% over the next six years, and currently Scotland has 1,540 horticulture, landscaping and sports turf firms employing more than 21,401 people. The sector contributes millions of pounds to the economy, and the benefit of “green appeal” is evident for local economies.
Evidence also shows that access to parks and gardens can reduce health inequalities, improve well-being and aid in the treatment of mental illness.
But it’s not just career horticulturists we see coming through our doors. Stemming from an increased focus on climate change, there is an increasing interest in protecting and cultivating our green spaces, whilst becoming more sustainable in terms of what we grow and eat. Currently there are 32 allotment sites in Glasgow alone, and the demand for community gardens and spaces to support growing fruit and veg is on the rise.
Our horticulture centre means students and staff benefit from a permanent area, which helps develop teaching strategies and collaborations with the local community. It also demonstrates to employers that students are learning within a professional environment.
While it might be unexpected to find this type of facility in such a central location, the growing demand for horticulturists and those who can maintain open greenspaces is thriving. We will do all we can to help the next generation of horticulturists to bloom.