Gowkfest 26 - Sunshine, Six Acts and a Bucking Bronco

Gates opened at 2pm and Denzil Tom took the stage at 3pm, followed by Kim Brown at 4pm and Dani Kirkman at 5.15pm. The Jockuleles — the Borders ukulele group played at 6.45pm, Dean Jones followed at 8pm, and Sparky & the Choir Boys closed the night from 9pm until the 10.30pm finish.

More than the music

Away from the stage, the field filled with the usual mix and a few new faces. The bucking bronco proved the surprise of the day, with a steady queue of challengers of all ages. Borders Competitions, the prize-draw company, brought a matt-black Lamborghini that drew a crowd of its own all afternoon. A close-up magician worked the picnic rugs, face painting kept the youngest occupied, and the tombola and 50/50 draw did their usual brisk trade 

Food and bar outlets ran through the day keeping everyone fed and dehydrated.

Thank you

Gowkfest is run by volunteers and paid for by local businesses. The sponsor board at the gate carried more than twenty names this year, and the committee is grateful to every one of them, to the traders and performers, and to everyone who bought a ticket, ran a stall, put up a marquee or stayed behind on Sunday morning to take it all down again.

Gowkfest and the Flower Show both came under Gordon Common Good SCIO during the past year, and the surplus from days like this one goes back into the village.

Speaking of which — Gordon Flower Show is at the Village Hall this Saturday, 29th August. Doors at 3pm, admission £1.