100k attendance hope for Merchant City Festival

The Merchant City Festival could attract up to 100,000 visitors. Picture: Robert Perry

Organisers hope to attract a record 100,000 people to the 12th year of the festival with a series of workshops, shows and theme nights in free and paid-for events over the weekend.

A dedicated vintage part of the festival will celebrate British music, fashion, film, art, dance, food and design from the 1920s to the 1980s, and is expected to be a highlight.

The festival will also take on a Commonwealth theme as it marks a year until the start of the Glasgow 2014 Games.

An interactive installation called The South Brunswick Street Rope Factory displays 71 coloured ropes to represent the states of the Commonwealth, which are woven together as a map which visitors can walk through.

Other events include street dancers, singers and fashion shows.

Creator Wayne Hemingway said the vintage events are centred on “timeless style”.

“There’s an amazing history of film, fashion and designin the UK from the 1920s and it’s still relevant,” he said.

“People who lived in the 70s and 80s first time round loved it, and still enjoy it, and then there is the new generations who are just finding out about it.

“Look at the new Daft Punk song, Get Lucky, it was number one for a long time and it samples a riff that was popular in the 70s, it’s a throwback and people still love it.

“You can’t reinvent everything, some things can be updated and upgraded, but over the weekend we’re going to celebrate everything from classic cars to proper disco, and there is something for everything with a roller disco and Bugsy Malone screenings for kids.”

The festival is funded by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Creative Scotland and Glasgow Arts.

Council leader Gordon Matheson said: “This is one of my favourite weekends of the year. The Merchant City Festival is thrilling, inspiring, often moving and always incredibly good fun.

“In short, it is a bit like our wonderful city and it is a fantastic opportunity to show off all that is good about Glasgow. The atmosphere is simply electric.”