Dunbar Civic Week 2020 will run from Saturday 13th June until Sunday 21st June and will celebrate the 650th Anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter to Dunbar, as well as the 50th Anniversary of Civic Week.
The organisers are planning for this year’s celebrations to be bigger than ever, starting with a parade from Victoria Harbour to Bleachingfields commencing at 1200 on 13th June, with a Fun Day of events to follow with lots of entertainment for young people. There will be a packed programme of events throughout the week, ending with a thanksgiving service at the Harbour Battery on Sunday 21st June.
The Royal Charter was granted to Dunbar by King David the Second (Son of Robert the Bruce) in 1370. This came about because Berwick on Tweed was then in English hands and the lucrative revenues from the export of border wool was lost to the Scottish crown. The granting of a Royal Charter to Dunbar meant that this trade could now go via Dunbar and the port of Belhaven and revenues revert to Scotland. The 600th anniversary was celebrated in grand style in 1970 with the very first Dunbar Civic Week, and Civic Week has continued annually ever since.
Civic Week is run entirely by volunteers. George Robertson chairs the Civic Week planning committee on behalf of Dunbar Community Council.
He says: “We are keen for Civic Week to be a celebration of our wonderful community. Dunbar is a growing town, and this is a great opportunity to welcome our newcomers to the fantastic things going on locally. We are always on the lookout for any ideas or emerging talent in the town who might be interested in putting on a show or promoting their activity. Eileen Moore is pulling together the week-long program and can be contacted at dunbarcivicweek@outlook.com. We are a small team and welcome any offers of help with an assurance that volunteers will only be asked to do as much as they are comfortable with.”
The children of the town have always been at the centre of Civic Week. The Royal Court consists of the Civic Week Queen, her consort, attendants, flower girls and pages. These are all selected by random draw, and children resident in Dunbar of the P2 and P7 age groups can apply. A letter will soon be sent to all parents of children in Dunbar Primary School asking if they wish their children to be included in the draw. Committee member Sanchita Patjoshi will be liaising directly with the School and the parents to organise the Royal Court.
The organisers would also like to include past Queens in this year’s celebrations so if you have been a Civic Week queen in the past 50 years, get in touch.
Alasdair Swan, Treasurer of the Civic Week Committee, says,
“Every year we appreciate the generosity of our donors and this year is no exception. Dunbar businesses are always generous in their support and members of the public can help by contributing at our fundraising events, tombola and collections.”
Full details of Civic Week events will be posted on www.dunbarcivicweek.org.uk and on social media.
A printed program will also be delivered to every household in Dunbar two weeks before.
For further information contact: dunbarcivicweek@outlook.com