Cupar’s Celebration Weekend 2021

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At the end of 2020, a group of community groups – steered by Cupar Development Trust – met to discuss the damage caused by the cancellation of so many community events throughout lockdown. All agreed to work together to ensure that events would be a core focus for the year ahead. Further restrictions at the start of 2021 threatened cancellations again – but the dozen organisations have worked hard, collaborating to create what is hoped will become an annual event – a weekend of celebrations to mark Cupar’s re-opening.

Cupar’s Celebration Weekend 2021 combines a whole host of events and activities that will run throughout the weekend of Friday 17th to Sunday 19th September. This Blog will be updated as we go, so will be the ‘go to’ resource for anyone looking to visit and take part in any of the celebrations.

As we countdown to the weekend, there are other events that will help build towards what promises to be a fantastic showcase for the town …

  • Saturday 28th August – the official opening of Tarvit Woodland Park. You can hear much more on our podcast!
  • Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th September – Doors Open Days across East Fife
  • Thursday 9th to Sunday 19th September – the return of the Stirlings Family Funfair to Haugh Park complete with children’s and family rides as well as white-knuckle rides! There will also be the usual stalls and a bouncy castle too! Look out for their vouchers (available in many shops across Cupar) for money-off family and children’s rides.
    • Daily: 1800-2130
    • Saturday/Sunday: 1400-2130
    • Saturday 18th: Noon-2130
    • Sunday 19th: 1400-1700

And then Cupar’s weekend of celebrations …

Friday 17th September onwards …

The launch of the Cupar Food & Drink Trail – the first of a series of trails that will help to promote food & drink businesses and organisations across our area. The Cupar Trail will highlight those businesses in the town – from bakers, bars and bistros to cafes and coffee shops, from pubs and restaurants to takeaways.

More will be announced as we tick towards the weekend – and CuparNow will be producing a leaflet that will carry more information on the food & drink offering – for the weekend and beyond. If you run a food & drink businesses and want to be involved, get in touch now via this link.

 

Saturday 18th September

Please be aware that Crossgate will be closed to cars between the Cross and Kirk Wynd from 0900-1400.

The Fife Farmers’ Market – 0900-1300: Cupar Heritage, Cupar Development Trust and Fife Family’s History Society will all be attending – the Society will be encouraging people to come along and ask their ‘experts’ about their Fife Family History and Cupar Development Trust will be on hand with a display on Inner Court in association with Kingdom Housing.

Cupar’s Children’s Day in Old Scots (Bairns’ Day in Auld Scots) – 1000-1830

An array of events and activities will be delivered throughout the day and into the evening as a celebration of and for Cupar’s children, all based around the town’s medieval history. Cupar’s role in this goes back to the 16th century when poet and playwright, Sir David Lindsay of The Mount estate (in Cupar) wrote Scotland’s first play, Ane Satyre. He was also Lord Lyon to King James V.

On Saturday 18th, Evelyn Crombie, current owner of The Mount estate, will proclaim a formal welcome on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant, before introducing Sir David Lindsay’s successor, the current Lord Lyon … two very historic links!

And there is a further important Cupar link to the Scots language. One of the pieces that will be recited (please see the running order below) is an extract from a new translation of Ane Satyre, written by Cupar-born actor and playwright, John Bett.  John’s involvement and support has been instrumental in the weekend’s events taking shape. The final event of the Children’s Day will be a concert in the Corn Exchange that will include a performance of ‘Peter & The Wolf – in Broad Scots’ written and narrated by John Bett.

The day’s running order …

  • 0900: Market Opens…
  • 1045: Cupar & District Pipe Band arrives at the market
  • At the Cross …
    • 1100: Welcome with Piper & Procession for Proclamation: supporters of the day’s events don medieval costumes provided by Scottish Opera.
    • 1130: The Lord Lyon and Scots writer, Billy Kay – the Thrie Estaitis Proclamation
    • 1130: Billy Kay reads Sir David Lindsay including a world-first … an extract from the 2021 Thrie Estaitis script written by Cupar-born actor and playwright, John Bett.
    • 1140: The Lord Lyon to unveil new signage and visit market stalls
  • 1200: The Lord Lyon to the Duncan Institute (Cupar Library) for the naming of Grotesques and unveiling a display showing copies of medieval documents provided by the National Library of Scotland and St Andrews University.
  • 1230: The Sunshine Kitchen‘s Medieval Feast (with themed entertainment) in the lower hall of the Corn Exchange
    • There are limited numbers for the feast; those attending will enjoy …
      • Medieval Pies, Giant Beans with Tomato & Sage, Potato Cannonballs with Wild Rosemary and Butter, Rustic Bread with Butter and Cheese as well as Plum Spoge or Oatmeal Raisin Cookies … all washed down with a Goblets of Apple or Blackcurrant … or Tea/Coffee.
      • During the feast, those in the Corn Exchange will be entertained by:
        • Medieval Wind performances by John Sampson
        • Old Scots Storytelling
        • Art Project Displays
    • All those attending the feast will be able to attend the orchestral performance at 1430.
      • 1430: Prokofiev Peter & The Wolf – in Broad Scots performed by Meadows Orchestra … in the upper hall of the Corn Exchange
    • For more, including information on how to buy tickets, please click on the image below …

 

There is then a ticketed and extended version of the concert in the Corn Exchange’s upper hall …

 

 

 

Bairns’ Books in Auld Scots

Cupar Library is joining in the Celebration Weekend with their own “Bairns’ Books in Auld Scots” display. They have lots of children’s books in Old Scots … so pop in to see what you can find!

 

The Great Toy Giveaway!

Castlehill Community Association is giving away a whole load of toys from 11am on Saturday 18th.

They are all pre-loved toys that have gathered a little dust over time in the soon-to-be refurbished community hall. The Association’s team have made sure they have been sanitized in line with Covid-19 restrictions.

So pop along (you’ll find them at the community centre) – and help yourself to free used toys (large and small) as well as a selection of board games. Please bring your own bag/ bags!

 

C In The Park – 1100-2300: the organisers have billed this as “a big party in the Haugh Park Bandstand in Cupar” – and that’s what they have lined up!

Live bands with DJ sets to fill the day – and all with free entry! 

  • 1100 DJ Tommy Davis
  • 1130 David Low
  • 1145 DJ Keith Honeyman
  • 1200 Kieran Ferrier
  • 1230 DJ Landerson
  • 1245 Ray Kelly & The Bad Boys
  • 1315 DJ Fraser Laing
  • 1330 Club Beirut
  • 1400 DJ Neil McNaught
  • 1415 Pist-N-Broke
  • 1415 DJ Keith Honeyman
  • 1500 The Steve Hepworth Band
  • 1530 DJ Landerson
  • 1545 Cosmic Fish
  • 1615 DJ Alan Nicol
  • 1630 ‘The Legends’ from Milton of Balgonie
  • 1715 DJ Chris Boyle
  • 1730 Nina Kebab
  • 1815 DJ Neil McNaught
  • 1830 Crimedesk
  • 1900 DJ Fraser Laing
  • 1915 Voodoo Pilots
  • 2000 DJ Tommy Davis
  • 2015 Raeburn Heights
  • 2100 DJ Alan Nicol
  • 2115 Rootsystem
  • 2200 DJ Chris Boyle
  • 2300 Ends

 

Sunday 19th September

All the fun of the fair continues in Haugh Park – and families are invited to take their time to visit and explore all that Cupar has to offer – from the town’s cafes, pubs and restaurants to the walks around the town including those that take in the new interpretive signage launched in 2020, telling the story of Cupar’s past and present.

 

Visiting?

There are regular trains to Cupar. Visit the Trainline for more – including the station’s facilities.

The town is on major bus routes through Fife: click on the map below for Stagecoach’s site and details of bus times to the town.

Driving? There is both paid and free parking in Cupar: the largest car park that’s closest to the Haugh Park (where the funfair and C In The Park will take place) is Fluthers. It is free (circ. 200 cars), has electric car charge points and a toilet block at its entrance. It is a short walk via pedestrian crossings to the park.

There is limited on street parking in the town (free for given periods denoted on signs) and pay and display car parks – the largest of which is accessed from Bonnygate. It is operated by Fife Council. You can also use Ringo to pay via your phone: please click on the map below for more.

 

Beyond Cupar’s Celebration Weekend?

The town has a series of events planned through until the end of 2021 and is already scheduling events for ’22  …

 

Thank you!

We are delighted to help in the support and promotion of this unique weekend. A huge thank you is given to all of those involved – so many volunteering their time and resources to deliver this celebration. Steered by Cupar Development Trust, the collective includes:

  1. Castlehill Community Centre
  2. C in the Park
  3. Cupar Arts
  4. Cupar’s Children’s Gala
  5. Cupar Community Council
  6. Cupar Museum & Heritage Centre
  7. Fife Voluntary Action
  8. Kilmaron School
  9. The Falkland Society
  10. The Lighthouse
  11. The Rotary Club of Cupar
  12. The Sunshine Kitchen

 

Please note that all events/activities are subject to change without prior notice but we will do all we can to ensure this page and the information shared on our channels is as up to date as it can be. If you are running any activity and need to make us aware of changes to this Blog, please use this link to email us. Thank you.

 

How the weekend is supported – by residents, visitors and businesses – will determine plans for 2022 and beyond. Please support the events and activities wherever you can.

 

Need more?

Who is Scotland’s Lord Lyon?  The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms is one of Scotland’s great Officers of State.  He is responsible for events such as Royal occasions, called State Ceremonial, and personally reads important proclamations from the Cross beside St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. The Lord Lyon presides over the Lyon Court, which grants, and decides matters relating to, Coats of Arms. If Arms are misused, the Lyon Court has jurisdiction under criminal law to do something about it. The current Lord Lyon is The Reverend Canon Joseph Morrow CBE KStJ QC LLD FRSE DL, who has been Lord Lyon since 2014. Joseph Morrow supports Cupar & District’s current aspirations for the better understanding of Old Scots in the area during the sixteenth century.  He has been a guest speaker at Cupar Heritage, and joined Cupar Development Trust’s Zoom presentation on the town’s new Arrival and Interpretive signage in September 2020.

In the 1500s, when King James V was King of Scotland, Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, Cupar, was the King’s Lord Lyon, officially from 1542 to 1554, but actually he started his job earlier, helping out his predecessor. As well as being Lord Lyon King of Arms, he was Tutor and Courtier to King James V, and his Ambassador, which included duties at the Courts of King Henry VIII of England and the Holy Roman Emperor. Sir David was the author of Scotland’s first ever play.  It was called “Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis”, and was first performed on Cupar’s Castle Hill on 7th June 1552. It is a satire about the Church, Scotland’s Nobles, and the Merchant class.

In 2021, Cupar & District is celebrating late medieval Old Scots language, in particular the works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, and his cousin and contemporary Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie, author of the first history of Scotland in the Scots language, the Chronicles of Scotland.  A local Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), Three Estates Cupar, hopes that the play will be performed in Cupar & District in the summer of 2022.

This explanatory note is used with the kind permission of Cupar Development Trust.

 

A very special thank you …

Cupar Development Trust acknowledges the generous support of The Bruce Trust and the Cupar Common Good Fund, without which Cupar’s Celebration Weekend 2021 would not have been possible.

Finally, the organisers of Cupar’s Celebration Weekened 2021 would like to express their gratitude to the following for their help in the planning and delivery of the Children’s Day activities.

 

Thanks for reading!