On 14 July 1990, over 30,000 people gathered in Stirling to celebrate ‘A Day For Scotland’.
Held at Fallen Inch Field, this huge outdoor festival combined music, politics and family fun. Headliners such as Runrig, Hue & Cry and The Shamen were joined by folk luminaries such as Dick Gaughan and Hamish Henderson. A day of face-paint and sunshine included comedy acts, beer tents and theatre workshops, with a running theme of national pride.
Billed as ‘a Festival for Our Future’, this was a key event not only for Stirling, but in linking popular culture and politics in the campaign for a Scottish parliament. Organised by the Scottish Trades Union Congress and Stirling District Council, flyers promised ‘a positive celebration of Scottish life — which says we must decide our future — no-one else!’
The political overtones were unmissable, and raised a stir (not least with the local MP, Michael Forsyth, a Scottish Office minister in the Thatcher government). Controversy and all, the event was widely viewed as a major success, and paved the way for large pop concerts at Stirling Castle from the mid-1990s.
Please join us on 14th July 2020 at a free online event to commemorate ‘A Day for Scotland’ 30 years on. Speakers connected to the event — including punters and performers — will share their memories and reflections, and we’re very keen to hear from members of the public with stories, insights and images to share.
The Scottish Political Archive will both share some of our collections and capture some artefacts of the day. To book a place please visit our Eventbrite site.
This event is organised jointly by Scott Hames in Literature and Languages at the University of Stirling and the Scottish Political Archive.
