CELEBRATE Aberdeen is extending the deadlines for registering for this year’s Celebrate Aberdeen parade and awards ceremony until July 29.
Returning for the first time since 2019, the highly popular Union Street parade, organised in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, will be held on Saturday, August 27, with the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards taking place three weeks later at P&J Live on Saturday, September 17.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
Celebrate Aberdeen volunteer Emily Findlay said the decision for the extension was to give both the team of volunteers who organise and run the event and the charities and other groups which take part, more time to prepare after the two-year absence.
“A huge amount of work goes on behind the scenes to plan these events by a small team of volunteers,” she said. “Normally this process begins in February, but we held off making the decision to run the events this year until we had a clearer idea of the situation regarding covid.. Because the planning started much later we are having to compress all that’s involved into a shorter space of time. By extending, we are giving ourselves more time to have everything in place for the very welcome return of these events.”
“We’ve also had feedback that an extension will be welcome by some of the groups who take part in the events. A number of third sector organisations underwent significant changeduring the pandemic, including changes in personnel, and are now readjusting as things return to return to normal. This gives them the extra time they need to plan for their participation in the parade and to submit a nomination for the awards event.”
“Entry to both events is free and after events of the past few years it is more important to celebrate the contribution that so many unsung heroes have provided during the pandemic.”
The Celebrate Aberdeen events showcase the enormous contribution that charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises have on life in North-east Scotland.
In 2019, 5,000 people representing more than 180 organisations took part in the parade which travels the length of Aberdeen’s Union Street. Thousands more come along to watch and show their support. In addition to third sector organisations, the parade also features cultural organisations, youth groups, sports clubs and music, dance, and entertainment groups.
This will be the third time that the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards will be held. More than 500 people attended the previous event in 2019, which shone a spotlight on finalists and winners in 11 award categories.
Also returning this year are the Union Street mile races, which immediately precede the parade on the morning of August 27. Organised this year in association with Celebrate Aberdeen by Myles Edwards of the Gathimba Edwards Foundation (GEF), the race has been renamed Mel’s Union Street Mile, in memory of Myles’ dad Mel who passed away in 2019.
To register for the parade and for information on how to enter the Celebrate Aberdeen Awards, visit www.celebrate-aberdeen.org
To apply for Mel’s Union Street Mile, which is part of the GEF Safari Series, visit https://gathimbaedwardsfoundation.org/safari-series/
For further information please contact Celebrate Aberdeen Media and PR manager Kate Yuill on 07757739089 or at [email protected]
