Shopping Week Stromness

Stromness is buzzing; it’s what is called ‘Shopping Week’ up here and is what we in the Lowlands would call Gala Week.
Yesterday’s Church service was the inauguration event but today was the ritual of the crowning of the Gala Queen and the official opening of all the events.

It’s been a busy day watching the Pipe Band perform before the crowning of the Queen  and then listening to a recital by fiddlers and accordion players, one of whom was no less than the current Mrs Creel of the Cheeky Monkey Taxi Service.

I opted to miss the ‘how many doughnuts can you eat without licking your lips’ event at the Pier Heid, but did visit a flower exhibition ‘Life on the  Ocean Wave’ which featured displays paying tribute to  the ships connected to Stromness such as the Hamnavoe ferry and the RNLI boat.

In the afternoon the musical children played a selection of tunes on their fiddles on the stage at the pier. I love that they play by ear and definitely in tune.
There is a football match on tonight and Bingo, but I think I’ll give these a swerve, I have to save my energy for the rest of the week.