County role in special event

Jan 8 2009 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

LANARKSHIRE events have been unveiled as part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations.

They are mentioned in a 48-page programme which features more than 200 of the 300 events lined up across the country as part of the ambitious project.

The Lanarkshire events are: Shotts Highland Games on June 6; Scotland’s Festival of History/Lanark Medieval Festival on August 22- 23 and Biggar Little Festival on October 16 to 25.

Homecoming Scotland aims to encourage Scots at home, people of Scottish descent, and those who love Scotland to take part in a celebration of its culture and heritage.

It is hoped that Scotland’s tourist industry will receive a much-needed boost as a result of what is planned.

The focal point of the country-wide celebrations is that this year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national bard Robert Burns.