Perth 800 countdown clock projected onto Perth Concert Hall

Nov 27 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A SPECIAL Perth 800 countdown clock projected onto the side of Perth Concert Hall will tick away the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the start of the Fair City’s octocentenary year in 2010.

The clock appeared at the climax of this year’s Christmas light switch-on celebrations in Perth.

On the same day, the official Perth 800 events guide was also be published, outlining the varied line up of exciting events taking place throughout 2010.

Perth 800 is a year-long celebration of the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter to Perth by King William the Lion of Scotland in 1210.

Perth and Kinross Provost, Dr John Hulbert, said: “Perth 800 is for everyone in Perth and Kinross and will be a wonderful showcase for our local businesses, community groups, arts, culture and sporting organisations.

“This is an important and historic anniversary for people here and throughout Scotland and we want to welcome visitors from home and overseas, especially our twin towns and the other Perths around the world, to come and celebrate it with us.

“The programme for 2010 will feature wide variety of exciting events and activities, all celebrating our confidence and ambition for Perth and Kinross in terms of our local economy, heritage, culture and sport.

“Perth 800 presents a fantastic opportunity for local businesses, enterprises and national agencies to come together and sell Perthshire to the world by attracting more visitors and therefore more income to the local economy.

"We are all looking forward to the festive period and the excitement and celebration of this time will be carried into 2010 as Perth 800 gets underway. I would encourage everyone to find out about the programme for Perth's 800th anniversary as there will be something for everyone taking place over the next year."

Perth 800 highlights and attractions during 2010 include:

l Lightnight Perth: One of Scotland’s first Lightnights, a cultural and heritage festival which will include a dramatised light trail, outdoor concerts and exhibitions all celebrating Perthshire past, present and future

l Life and Death in Medieval Perth: A major new year-long exhibition on Perth through the ages at Perth Museum and Art Gallery

l Geocaching Mega-event: Perth will host the first Geocaching Mega-event to take place in Scotland. Geocaching is a hi-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by people of all ages and abilities equipped with GPS devices. The event is expected to attract 1000 participants to Perth and Kinross

l Business Expo: This event will showcase some of the district’s leading businesses and reinforce Perth’s reputation as a centre for trade and commerce

l Perth Concert Hall Fifth Anniversary: A packed cultural programme to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of Perth Concert Hall in 2005

l A three-day Perth 800 Film Festival

l An enhanced Perth Festival of the Arts programme which will include the re-launch of the Perth Public Art Trail as part of the fringe programme

l Tay Descent: The Scottish Canoe Association is planning a mass participation descent of the River Tay which will be suitable for most canoeists, there will be race stages for more advanced paddlers.

l If you are planning an event for Perth 800 let the PA know ASAP and we’ll be happy to give you some publicity in our regular ‘800 Update’. Email pa@s-un.co.uk