1959: Thousands flock to the Kirkcaldy Exhibition

The town’s ice rink was the location of The Kirkcaldy Exhibition which ran from October 8-17, 1959.

The nine-day show was expected to break all attendance records as 34 stands covered the arena’s vast floor space, and were supported by a huge programme of 
entertainment and a carnival.

The exhibition had previously been staged in the Adam Smith and Beveridge Halls, but moved to the much larger rink for a sigificant scaling up.

The event aimed to promote what Kirkcaldy had to offer in the way of industry and retail, with both sectors boasting a huge range of well established names.

It also included practical demonstrations and a mammoth programme of entertainment which culminated with a Festival of Dancing which was the largest of its type outside of Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Entries poured in from across Scotland and south of the border to compete in the categories which ranged from old-time junior to Highland dancing.

The legendary Jimmy Shand and his country dance band provided the music, and it featured Harry Rollins and Helene, Scotland’s leading Latin American demonstrators, and Allan Ritchie and Julie Anderson, Scottish champions in waltz and foxtrot.

Music also came from the John Smith Old Time Dance Band.

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The entertainment featured a five-a-side football tournament for male and 
female teams, magic, dancing displays, weightlifting contests, a Punch and Judy, and a ladies’ keep fit display.

Almost 1500 people attended the opening day – over 500 more than the previous event held two years earlier.

The exhibition enjoyed huge popularity across its nine days with capacity audiences reported – in fact many people were turned away. It reported a total turn out of over 21,000.

The dancing festival proved to be the most popular with the fullest public support, with the Fife Free Press 
reporting: “Over 1600 people crowded the entertainments arena for a gay Scottish night with Jimmy Shand and his band, a combination of international repute.”

Mr J.Y. Dick, vice-chairman of the exhibition committee, said: “The venue was very good. The spaciousness of the rink allowed people to circulate more freely, and I was agreeably surprised at the response shown to the fairground and the exhibition sideshows.”

The Press was certainly impressed.

Its reporter said the rink had been “used to tasteful advantage” and he noted: “It can truthfully be said that never before in Kirkcaldy has such a wide variety of goods been concentrated under one roof.

“The rink is a giant shop window.”

At the entrance to the rink were large “KE” initials which stood for ‘Kirkcaldy Exhibition.’

Noted the Press: “Once you have looked around the colourful and inviting displays and sampled a lively dash of the immense entertainment, you’ll agree that those outsize initials could equally well stand for Kirkcaldy Enterprise.”

The report compared the atmosphere to that of a 
retail supermarket – “that firmly embeded institution of American life geared to meet consumer demand for almost anything and everything.”

The exhibition was opened by Sir George Nairn who was welcomed by Mr W.B. Livingston, managing director of the Fife Free Press and chairman of the Kirkcaldy Exhibition.

Once the formalities had been concluded it was clear the public were keen to get in – “a large number of housewives was among the early crowd” noted the Press.

Stands included James 
Bogie, ladies and gents outfitter, High Street, Kirkcaldy

R.D. Funkie DIY Shop, High street, Kirkcaldy

Robertson’s of Kirkcaldy, Tolbooth Street

Allen Lithographic, Townsend Place, Beatties Bakery, Kirkcaldy

Leon Turn ing Mills, wood workers, Mitchell Street

Baxter & Brown, drapers, St Clair St

William Yule & Son, grocers, High St

James Burt, travel agent, High Street

W. Noble & Co, newsagent, High St

A.H., McIntosh