The sun shines as Anna crowned new Bay Queen
The sun shone for the first day of the Whiting Bay fun week last Sunday and crowds flocked to the seashore for the day’s festivities.
Events began with the traditional raft race, which this year attracted a fairly healthy five entries, but was well down on last year’s nine.
The water may have been calm but some of the craft fared better than others to get round the course.
First home, by a good margin, was the six-strong crew of Yir Tea’s Oot – Jamie Macpherson, Sandy Pringle, Dave Hackett, Gregor Crichton and brothers Fraser and Gavin Gilbert – most of whom were in last year’s winning boat. Runners-up were The Relics from Arran Heritage Museum, and doing well to finish third were the youngest crew, The Jolly Rafters, consisting of Eden Robertson and brothers Jesse and Sid Townsend, in the smallest boat. Fourth home were the all-female crew of Jolly Rodney with Nothing Wrong with Piracy doing well to complete the course in one piece.
As events moved to the putting green, the burger stall was doing a roaring trade, as did the tombola and the games for the children, with the biggest attraction the climbing wall.
But all that stopped for the arrival of the new Bay Queen, Anna Wilkinson, who arrived at the green with her entourage and led by piper Willie Robertson after a short procession from the village hall.
During the traditional ceremony, children scattered petals in her path as the Queen was accompanied by Peter Towndrow, last year’s Bay Queen Grace Crichton, and her handmaidens Daisy McNamara and Kirsty Morrison.
On the green, Anna, who turned 12 yesterday (Friday), was crowned in front of a large crowd by last year’s Bay Queen Grace, before handing out the raft race prizes and drawing the raffle.
The fun week is organised by the Whiting Bay and Districts Improvements Association, and volunteers put a power of work into all the events which have been continuing for the past few days.
The festival finishes today (Saturday) with the duck race and barbecue starting at Sandbraes bridge at 3pm, followed by the family fun race around the park.