Sunshine on Leith as spectacular gala is biggest celebration yet

THE reverb from the impromptu reggae commune which had set up on a section of Leith Links rung out across the area.

The bass drum from the band playing to hundreds of onlookers thumped through the ground and the looming fairground rides were visible from miles around.

If anyone in the north-east of Edinburgh did not know the Leith Festival Gala Day was taking place on Saturday, they were left in no doubt as the biggest event yet unfolded.

Like last year's spectacle, the sun shone throughout, but the attractions were on a different level, with more carnival rides and food stalls. The carnival had been extended to include more rides, expanded arcade and amusement facilities and more food stalls.

A massive bungee ride which shot Leithers hundreds of feet into the air two at a time was the main focus. And on the other side of the Links, two huge speaker stacks blew out reggae music. It was like a small segment of Kingston had landed in the middle of Leith.

The gala day attendance made Leith seem as multicultural as London, while stalls featuring local politicians backing the campaign for a Leith Museum and an outlet for police and community councils retained the local edge.

The day kicked off with the traditional pageant, which was forced to take a different route because of tram works on Leith Walk.

"We were a bit concerned about that because we thought people might show up at the usual starting point," said festival spokesman Steve Mitchell, speaking of the new parade starting point at Lochend Park.

"But as it happened there were only three or four people who went to Leith Walk, where we had people to point them in the right direction.

"The day itself was great, it was bigger than ever, and the weather held up, which is really important for something like this.

"We had an extra tier of stalls from last year.

"It's all about momentum, people want to come to successful events and acts want to be involved in them."

He said that the magnitude of the gala day was indicative of the whole ten-day festival itself. "There were more sell-out shows and events like the First World War rolls of honour were a tremendous success," he said.

"At some events you had wives and girlfriends of acts not being able to get in because so many tickets had been sold."

The event is fast becoming one of the major attractions of the year, according to Leith Walk resident Amy Hewitt, 33, a nurse.

She said: "I've been here a few years on the trot and last year and particularly today I've noticed it's really taken off.

"With all the music, the carnival and the stalls it feels like T in the Park or something. It's so busy with people of all ages, it's a shame the gala can't run across the whole weekend."