Glasgow 850 celebrates Billy Connolly with weekend tribute to Freeman of the City
Glasgow is set to honour one of its most celebrated sons, Sir Billy Connolly, with a celebration this September as part of the Glasgow 850 programme.
The Big Yin Weekend, taking place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September, will honour to the legendary Glaswegian comedian, musician, storyteller and artist through a vibrant mix of music, comedy, film and walking and cycling tours.
Sir Billy Connolly, who was awarded the Freedom of the City of Glasgow in 2010, has long been regarded as the voice and spirit of the city. His enduring career has brought laughter, insight and pride to generations of Glaswegians, and this celebration of his life and career reflects the deep affection the city holds for him.
The Big Yin Weekend is part of the wider Glasgow 850 programme – a year-long celebration marking the city’s 850th birthday. Led by Glasgow City Council, the programme showcases the people, culture and creativity that make Glasgow a truly unique place to live, work and visit.
Highlights of the weekend include:
- The Big Yin Tune-In – A free pop-up musical performance at The Park Bar featuring Gary Innes & Friends and the premiere performance of a new song entitled ‘Big Yin’ by Scottish supergroup Mànran, to celebrate Billy Conolly’s contribution to folk music and commemorate the 60th anniversary of The Humblebums.
- ‘Big Yin’s Best Of ‘– A comedy showcase presented by Glasgow International Comedy Festival, featuring past winners and nominees of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.
- Big Banana Feet screening – A special showing at Glasgow Film Theatre of the fly on the wall documentary following Billy Connolly on his 1975 tour of Ireland, introduced by comedian Scott Agnew.
- Walking and cycling tours - Gallus Pedals Tours will host walking and cycling tours across the weekend inspired by Billy’s life and legacy, taking in key locations and mural sites across the city.
Speaking at the event, Glasgow City Council Leader, Susan Aitken said: “Cinema is incredibly important in Glasgow life and the GFT is a venue going from strength to strength. I think the opportunity to link in with the GFT as part of our 850th anniversary celebrations and to celebrate probably the greatest living and most loved Glaswegian is a fantastic opportunity to put cinema right at the heart of our 850th year.
The Glasgow Film Festival goes from strength to strength every year. It is now one of the strongest festivals, one of the strongest line-ups, not just in the UK, but I think globally. Loads of filmmakers look to Glasgow as a place where they maybe want to premiere their movies and like all of the artistic and cultural things we do in Glasgow, it’s got its distinct Glasgow spirit as well. Glaswegians have always loved going to the pictures and to celebrate Sir Billy Connolly. They’ll be able to combine going to the pictures and see some of the greatest stand up comedy that’s ever been performed.