Feast of Ham and Jam on menu for Carluke

Once again the town’s most famous food products will be at the heart of the celebration but there will also be entertainment for all, er, ‘tastes’ during a packed three days of events.

Organised by the Carluke Development Trust, the festival was launched in 2013 with the backing of the town’s two most famous food producers, Ramsays, famous for their ham, and Scotts, renowned for their jam.

Now many other businesses - plus the town’s schools, youth groups and others - have joined in to build up an extremely varied ‘menu’, being served up to Carluke folk and visitors from October 1 to 3.

The Development Trust has published the initial programme and the festival kicks off on Thursday, October 1 with a ‘Jammy Afternoon’ consisting of the Jolly Beggar’s musical concert party entertaining at the Carluke Lifestyles centre; this should appeal to the older generation but, at the other end of the age range, Carluke High School’s talented youngsters will be staging their own concert that day.

On Friday, October 2, there are concerts at the various Carluke nursery schools and a Carluke primary schools choir showcase.

On the same day events will be staged by the town’s own youth theatre group Shine plus the Street Level Youth Club.

In the town’s pubs local musicians will be out and about entertaining the regulars.

The main day of the festuval will be Saturday, October 3.

A busy schedule of events that day will include a ‘Jampionships’ fun mini-Olympics and a ‘Jamboree’ in Ramsay’s Courtyard; this latter event will include live music, free kiddies rides, face-painting, stalls and a barbecue dishing up some of the company’s famous products.

Again, pub patrons will enjoy live music.