A weekend of sporting achievement, celebration and music comes to Aberdeen

22 August 2018

This weekend (25 and 26 August) promises to be one of sporting highs, celebration and music as Celebrate Aberdeen and the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run return to the city.

On Saturday 25 August Celebrate Aberdeen will feature the Union Street mile run organised by Sport Aberdeen; a third sector parade; and entertainment at locations across the city centre and on-stage at Broad Street from 1pm.

On Sunday 26 August the Great Aberdeen Run is welcomed back to the city and Celebrate Aberdeen will continue entertaining the crowds with even more acts performing across the city centre and on the Broad Street stage from 12.30pm.

The live stage on Broad Street this weekend will be the first use of the new events space, created as part of the £3.2million transformation of the site.

Alongside the entertainment thousands of runners will be hitting the road as part of the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run which is returning to Aberdeen for its second year. The route winds through the historic streets of Old Aberdeen past the beach front, Seaton Park, the Brig O’ Balgownie and many more iconic sights.

Race day will also feature ‘Bands on the Run’. Organised by the Great Run Company in conjunction with Celebrate Aberdeen, a number of music acts will be located along the route to entertain the crowds and participants including:

• Chris Sibbald – Piper (University of Aberdeen – High St.)

• Northsound1 Radio Cheer Zone / Music (Ellon Road)

• Dezibel drumming band (Mounthooly Roundabout)

Music will also greet runners along the Beach Esplanade, at Seaton Park and Skene Street.

The weekend of festivities is the latest in a series of collaborative cultural events for Aberdeen City Council, supported by the Aberdeen 365 event strategy as a core project of the City Centre Masterplan.

Through working with partner organisations such as Celebrate Aberdeen, the Great Run Company, VisitAberdeenshire, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce and Aberdeen Inspired, the Council is aiming to strengthen Aberdeen’s reputation as a destination for large scale events to support the city’s economic strategy.

Aberdeen City Council Co-leader, Councillor Jenny Laing said: “Aberdeen City Council is committed to making Aberdeen an even more vibrant place to live, work and visit. The City Centre Masterplan and a year-round events programme, which includes the summer and winter events programmes, the Tour Series, and the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run, is integral to that.

“With thousands of runners participating in the run, and hundreds of families in the family run, the city will be alive with activity and excitement. We are especially excited to see the new Broad Street area in use for the first time and look forward to hearing the music performed on stage across the city during the weekend.

“Collaborative working is vital to the success of events like Celebrate Aberdeen and the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run. Our Aberdeen 365 Events strategy provides an opportunity to promote and enhance the long-term economic prosperity of Aberdeen and the wider region by attracting visitors, both local and from further afield, to the city.”

Celebrate Aberdeen founder Morven Mackenzie said: “Celebrate Aberdeen goes from strength to strength each year and 2018 promises to be our best event yet.

"We have more voluntary organisations than ever taking part in our Saturday morning parade and the entertainment line-up is fantastically diverse again this year. Combine this with the Union Street Mile race that will be taking place beforehand and we’re set to have a brilliant weekend in the city centre.

“Celebrate Aberdeen is organised by a very small team of volunteers who work tirelessly to bring the event to fruition. However, we are also supported by Aberdeen City Council’s events and marketing teams, which makes a huge difference to what we can achieve. It really is a partnership that works incredibly well.”

Eric Wilkins, chief operating officer at The Great Run Company, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the Great Run experience back to Aberdeen for a second year and this vibrant city will provide an impressive backdrop, which will see thousands of people take on the half marathon, 10k and Family Run.

“People will travel from all over the UK and across the world to experience the joy of running through Aberdeen and all are assured of a friendly and hospitable welcome in the north-east.”

With the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run expected to bring approximately 20,000 people into the city on the day and Celebrate Aberdeen bringing an estimated 8,000 over the weekend, the weekend of the 25 and 26 August is set to be a vibrant showcase for Aberdeen.