News / Marine festival set to make a splash
PEERIE Boat Week – to be held in August in Lerwick – will stage some of the events and activities that were favourites in the previous two boat weeks, according to organisers Shetland Amenity Trust (SAT).
As a taster of the full programme that will be announced shortly for the slimmed-down maritime festival, SAT has revealed John Jamieson’s fancy knotwork demonstrations, sailing trips in the replica sixareen Vaila Mae and rowing in the replica haddock boat Laura Kay will all be included.
There will also be a range of new experiences such as tours aboard the coastguard tug Herakles, and a keynote lecture from Brian Lavery on the uprising of fishwives in 1968 following a triple trawler disaster in Hull.
The sailing and rowing trips will be extended through the week, running from Tuesday 14 August to Saturday 18 August.
Organiser Emma Miller said: “These are incredibly popular and the extra days should at least guarantee that they won’t fall foul of a poor weekend’s weather.
“We have named it Peerie Boat Week this year, and the programme is taking the successful format of Shetland Boat Week and delivering a more concentrated series of events and activities over the weekend of 17 to 19 August. The Trust is keen to retain the spirit of the past year’s event and evaluate the most effective way to develop the festival for the future.”
Miller, who has been brought in to co-ordinate the event with staff, volunteers and external event providers, said that the trust remained committed to celebrating Shetland’s maritime heritage.
The event team are currently looking for anyone who has a traditional Shetland model boat that would be suitable for the outdoor display at Hay’s Dock from 11-19 August, and anyone who would be interested in volunteering to help with dockside activities over the weekend.
“If you have a boat, or would like to be involved, please contact one of the Peerie Boat Week team at info@shetlandamenity.org, emma@realtaevents.co.uk or call 01595 694688,” said Miller.
She added that the trust would like to thank sponsors NorthLink Ferries and Ocean Kinetics and the Shetland branch of the Nautical Institute who are hosting speaker Brian Lavery.
Once the event programme is finalised it will be available online at www.shetlandboatweek.com/events. The printed programme will be published and distributed from around 27 July.
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