Thousands of people attended Grant Park 100 in the sunshine on 24 August 2024 to mark the centenary of the gifting of Grant Park to the people of Forres. They were there to celebrate Grant Park 100, and experience have-a-go activities, games, music, crafts, demonstrations, talks, performances, food and drink, a carousel and funfair, beer tents, and admire the results of various competitions including some featuring the beloved digestive biscuit.
Entertainment and activities took place in two Arenas, the music area and around the Park. Free have-a-go activities ranged from haggis-hurling to learning to milk a cow, from weaving wool or willow to running a maze and solar-powered toy cars.
Activities were planned so that there was something for everyone to enjoy; that this was achieved is demonstrated in the range of comments about what people enjoyed most.
It was a community celebration, with over 130 volunteers and 10 local organisations actively supporting the planning and delivery of the event. Over 170 musicians played, for free, on the music stage or in Arena 1. Local businesses got behind the event too, supporting it as traders with stalls, the provision of equipment and as sponsors while funders included both the local Berry Burn Community Fund and national Awards for All.
Entertainment
The event involved six hours of non-stop entertainment included live music, storytelling, exhibitions and competition.
One arena offered a mini–Highland Games including haggis hurling and welly wanging, sack races and ither traditional sports
The other arena showcased falconry, sheep shearing and gun dog displays, Soapox Carty racing, the Forres & District Pipe Band and a car cavalcade from throughout the decades.
The Music area offered live music while the Storytelling area in the Exhibition Tent had talks and a film about Grant Park over the past 100 years. The Science tent enthralled budding scientists of all ages while the Countryside Classroom offered an opportunity to learn how to milk a cow!
One of the highlights of the event was when everyone who attended the event joined in a park-wide rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to Grant Park.’
Guests to the all-day event were also treated to free digestive biscuits, courtesy of McVitie’s, significant as Sir Alexander Grant was the inventor of the McVitie’s digestive biscuit (and a former managing director and owner of the company).
The public were encouraged to dress in the style of a decade within the 100 years with many rising to the challenge.
Innovation, sustainability and legacy
The ambition of Forres Events Ltd was to deliver an event that was innovative, sustainable and which could provide a legacy for future events. This was achieved through:
- Use of a “big screen” (12m2) to display timetable, upcoming displays and Sponsor details throughout the Event. digital screen, with Sponsor logos displayed on a rotating basis as an integral part of the display of the running order
- Use of a digital Programme, free to download, instead of a paper, paid-for version.
- Being a near-paperless event, with organisation based on significant use of online tools and cloud storage.
- Limited use of non-recyclable banners; these were restricted to roadside promotion of the Event. Sponsor promotion was entirely digital.
- Use of a satellite-based site planning tool – Oneplan.
- The introduction of Carty-racing to Grant Park; other organisations have expressed a desire to take this over
Feedback
Feedback was requested via an on-line feedback form in the programme and on the website.
“How do you rate your overall enjoyment?”
The event was awarded 4.48 out of 5 stars. 67% of responses gave overall enjoyment 5 stars.
What did you enjoy most?
Innovation, sustainability and legacy
The ambition of Forres Events Ltd was to deliver an event that was innovative, sustainable and which could provide a legacy for future events. This was achieved through:
- Use of a “big screen” (12m2) to display timetable, upcoming displays and Sponsor details throughout the Event. digital screen, with Sponsor logos displayed on a rotating basis as an integral part of the display of the running order
- Use of a digital Programme, free to download, instead of a paper, paid-for version.
- Being a near-paperless event, with organisation based on significant use of online tools and cloud storage.
- Limited use of non-recyclable banners; these were restricted to roadside promotion of the Event. Sponsor promotion was entirely digital.
- Use of a satellite-based site planning tool – Oneplan.
- The introduction of Carty-racing to Grant Park; other organisations have expressed a desire to take this over
Feedback
Feedback was requested via an on-line feedback form in the programme and on the website.
“How do you rate your overall enjoyment?”
The event was awarded 4.48 out of 5 stars. 67% of responses gave overall enjoyment 5 stars