Mini kelpies take centre stage in town

The three-metre tall sculptures will be arriving in the town on July 24 before an official unveiling on July 29.

The unveiling ceremony will be part of the Kelpies Carnival Day and Parade, an day of events and activities.

The sculptures will be placed on the Bruce Embankment adjacent to the British Golf Museum and will remain in place until October 23.

The parade will start at 10.30am, setting off from the castle and finishing at the embankment.

It will be led by the St Andrews Pipe Band and the Clydesdale horse, Pixie.

The parade will also include children who have been colouring in horse masks at various places around the town.

The unveiling will begin at 11am, with two special guests.

Andy Scott, who sculpted the Kelpies, and who has worked on around 80 different art projects around the UK, will be joined by Jim Carruth, who has been described as ‘Scotland’s leading rural poet’.

Andy will be speaking about the creation of the sculptures and the mechanics of their construction.

The unveiling kicks off an afternoon of fun and activities.

Folk band Mosses and Lichens will be performing, and there will be fun to keep the children entertained, with Forgan’s Childrens Corner, facepainting, a ceilidh, a bouncy castle and much more.

Debbie McCallum, of Tourism St Andrews, explained why the organisation had worked to bring the artwork to the town.

She said: “It is a really interesting opportunity for us to have a world class sculpture in a world class destination.

“The Kelpies have become one of Scotland’s most well-loved landmarks attracting visitors as well as locals to see the eye-catching statues across the country.

“Their arrival in St Andrews will hopefully provide an added incentive for visitors to the Kingdom and a welcome boost for local businesses in the town.”

The marquettes were hand-crafted by Andy and were used as models for the world’s largest equine sculpture, the Kelpies.

They were designed based on two Clydesdale horses who worked for Glasgow City Council, named Duke and Baron.

For more information about the various events taking place around the Kelpies, visit www.standrewslive.com.

(Pic: Graham Wylie)