The Glasgow West End Festival is a big thing for us, as we play a full and active part in offering a range of community events.  This year the festival lasts the whole of June and we are offering no less than six contributions. 

Yesterday I picked up a programme and was pleased to see that many of our events had landed plum spots on the pages - slap bang in the middle of one page, first item on another and so on.  I also took a little bit of time to see what we were in 'competition' with.

Our children and families event is the same day as a number of others, but is one of the few that is free and the only one in direct competitnio is charging.  It should be brilliant fun - an indoor beach party for which I have just been recruited to make smoothies...!

Our midweek event is a cupcake decorating extravaganza, and seems to be about the only free 'food based' event taking place.  The only direct competition is a 'cupcakes and cocktails' thing over the road from us, with a professional cake decorater, but it's in the evneing and costs £25 a head!  Coffee and Cupcakes for free... no  contest!  We have already had a booking for half a dozen... yeay!  I may or may not be at this one - I'm double booked - but my planning team have some fabulous ideas to make it go brillirntly - and we have a practcie run next Wednesday for which I am baking...

A new event is an afternoon story-telling for adults with a professional story-teller who will share folk tales, history and more.  This should be really good - I love listening to stories, and I'm sure we will be packed out.

Our other three events are well-established favourites. Two Sunday afternoon 'Philosophy Cafes' with invited speakers on topics of interest will be sure to draw in a capacity crowd (note to self - short sermons those days!) and the Choral Communion for Midsummer is a place of calm and stillness attracting those who simply want to chill after a busy day.

It's all good.  And it will keep us all VERY busy.  I'm glad I have some holiday before it... even if I have two conferences to fit in during it!!