MELIORA Festival Weekend A Huge Success

21 June, 2022 | Latest Photos, Local

THOUSANDS of people visited the Beacon Arts Centre as it held a summer celebration to reconnect communities after two years of covid pandemic restrictions.

Around 7,000 people descended on the Greenock venue between Friday and Sunday to attend its Meliora Festival weekend.

Still Game stars Mark Cox and Jane McCarry kept the crowd entertained as they introduced a top line-up of local bands and artists, including popular Inverclyde duo The Laurettes.

More than 50 performances and events took place over the three days, including storytelling sessions, drumming and circus workshops, Scottish Opera and street theatre.

The centrepiece of the weekend was the huge Luminarium art sculpture, which offered a sensory experience to those who journeyed through its tunnels and domes of light and colour. In total, more than 3,000 people visited the Luminarium.

There were also aerial dance displays by The Swings, a host of food and drink stalls, magic shows, and several events held by the Unicorn Dance Party.

The Beacon’s Meliora weekend incorporated this year’s Clyde Comedy Festival, with appearances from legendary actress Elaine C Smith, Scot Squad star Darren Connell and Irish comedian Ed Byrne.

Elaine C Smith also delighted youngsters with special readings of The Glasgow Gruffalo, The Glasgow Gruffalo’s Wean and The Princess and the Pea.

Meliora Festival, which has been taking place across Inverclyde throughout May and June, was designed to offer fun, entertainment and excitement and to make people feel better after the past two years.

Pauline Kane, director of the Beacon Arts Centre, said: “We are delighted that our Meliora Festival weekend was a huge success and that we were able to welcome so many people to the Beacon Arts Centre.

“After a difficult two years for everyone, it was the perfect way to bring communities back together for a lively weekend of entertainment and escapism.

“We are so grateful to everybody who visited, and to all our amazing performers and event organisers who helped to make the weekend so enjoyable.”

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