Preparations are well underway for the 2023 Guid Nychburris Celebrations in June with the pre Guid Nychburris ride outs commencing on Friday 19th May and various other ride outs and events taking place right through until Guid Nychburris day Saturday 17th June.
Ride out routes are similar to previous years with a few minor changes. The Woodlands ride out is on Friday 19th May commencing from Huntingdon Market at 6.30pm, the procession lead by 2022 Cornet Ross Findlater and Lass Robyn Peden, will wind its way through Dumfries to Troqueer, out to Terregles, through Lincluden before returning through Dumfries to the market. Other ride out dates are listed, and routes will be posted on the Guid Nychburris and Dumfries Cornets Club Facebook pages along with details published in the Guid Nychburris souvenir magazine.
Local schools are currently participating in the schools hand writing competition and many will participate in the primary schools’ football at the Queen of the South Arena from Monday 5th to Friday 9th June. Local shops, offices and businesses are also arranging their decorations for the popular shop and office window competition which ill be judged on Thursday 8th June the theme this year is simply ‘Guid Nychburris’ entries can be received up until the day of the judging.
The Guid Nychburris Festival Association are happy to announce details of all the events during Guid Nychburris week , events hosted both by the GNFA and also by sponsored partners.
Sunday 11th June sees the traditional Kirkin of the Cornet at St Michael’s Church with principals and office bearers marching to and from Church through the Town Centre. After the Mabie ride out in the afternoon The Dumfries Christian Council host the Guid Nychburris Songs of Praise at Dumfries High School from 7.30pm
Monday 12th June is the Installation of principals, Robert Wyllie, Cornet, Ellie McKean Cornet’s Lass and Ava Nozratzadeh Queen of the South Elect 2023, at the Mid Steeple at 7.30pm before a reception for invited guests at the Usual Place Café. An Installation ‘after party’ will be held in The Waverly Hotel from 9.30pm
School visits are the order of the day for the newly installed Principals on Tuesday 13th June along with a visit to the Senior Citizens Concert at the Parkhouse Suite of the Cairndale Hotel from 2pm Free tickets for this event can be uplifted, on a first come first served basis on Thursday 1st June from 10.30am at the Community Room at Morrisons Supermarket.
On Tuesday evening the Family Pet Show with various classes takes place at the Market Area Whitesands with registration of pets from 6.30pm. A talk and tour of ‘The Dumfries of Robert Burns’ starts at The Auld Brig Whitesands from 7pm
More school visits and visits to local care homes and Dumfries Royal Infirmary take place on Wednesday and Thursday 14th and 15th June while the Dumfries Cornets Club Cornets Ball takes place on Wednesday night in The Loreburn Hall Dumfries.
Mostly Ghostly host their Bad Neighbours Tours on Wednesday from the Mid Steeple at 6pm and 8pm.
Following the Kingholm Ride Out on Thursday 15th, The Cornets Supper will be held in Dumfries Rugby Club from 9pm. A Medieval Tour of Dumfries leaves Devorgilla Bridge at 7pm.
Friday 16th June sees the Principals and Provost Maureen Johnstone meet at the Ewart Library at 10.45am. The baby show takes place in St Mary’s Church Hall from 10.30am, with doors opening at 10am. After a visit to the Rotary Club Lunch at The Cairndale Hotel the principals visit other care homes and Dumfries Town Centre in the afternoon.
Friday night is ‘fun night’ on Dumfries High Street. The Children’s Fancy Dress takes place at the Planestanes with judging and prize giving at approximately 6.30pm. Following the Fancy Dress the Family Treasure Trail takes place at 7pm with folk invited to solve the cryptic clues, with all answers some where in and around Dumfries High Street. As folk mingle up and down the street to find the answers the Corberry Park Pipers will entertain near the Planestanes.
The Dumfries Running Club host their 5K Road Race at the Crichton through the grounds from 7pm, members of the Principals party will join former principals to start the race.
Saturday 17th June is Guid Nychburris Day. A full programme of events is planned with many more activities still to be confirmed.
The Riding of the Marches commences from 8am before the Crowning and Charter ceremony just after 12 noon, a reception for guests and both the Cornets and Queen of the South’s lunches take place before principals visit Dumfries High Street.
Music, song, and dance by local artistes and groups, along with popular street entertainers Daffy Dill and Verity Power, renowned stilt walker and fire eater, will perform at the Mid Steeple before the Guid Nychburris Parade leaves Newall Terrace at 5pm.
Immediately after the Parade the Beating Retreat with hopefully seven brass, silver and pipe bands will take place outside the Municipal Chambers in Buccleuch Street.
Full details on all the Guid Nychburris events are published in the souvenir magazine which is being sold in local shops and offices in Dumfries.
The coveted awarded of Guid Nychbur and Junior Guid Nychbur will be presented during the Installation reception on Monday 12th June. If you would like to nominate anyone for either of these categories please forward details to [email protected] before Monday 5th June.
After an absence of THREE years the Guid Nychburris Senior Citizens Concert will make a welcome return for 2023. Hosted by the Wallace Family the Concert will take place in The Parkhouse Suite of the Cairndale Hotel on Tuesday 13th June from 2pm-4.30pm. Guid Nychburris chairman John Caskie will compere the event along with accordionist William McRobert, Drummer and singer Robert Dorrance, Piper Gregor Grierson, and guests from St Joseph’s College. Guid Nychburris Principals will be in attendance and there will be a free raffle draw. FREE tickets can be uplifted with a maximum of two per person from the Community Room Morrisons Supermarket on Thursday 1st June from 10.30am. No tickets can be pre booked for this event.
2023
WHAT’S ON LIST
GUID NYCHBURRIS
Sunday 11th – Saturday 17th June 2023
(P) Denotes Principals will be in attendance
SUNDAY 11th JUNE
10.30am: Principals Procession to St Michael’s Church, from Municipal Chambers (P)
11am: Kirkin of Cornet, St Michael’s Church (P)
2pm: Mabie Ride Out, Leaves Park Farm (P)
7.30pm: Songs of Praise, Dumfries High School (P)
MONDAY 12th JUNE
7.30pm: Installation of Principals, Midsteeple (P)
8.30pm: Installation Reception (for invited guests) The Usual Place Café Dumfries (P)
9.00: Guid Nychburris Installation Afterparty (Venue to be announced) (P)
TUESDAY 13th JUNE
9am & 1.30pm: Principals visit Schools in Dumfries (P)
2.00pm: Senior Citizens Concert, Parkhouse Suite, Cairndale Hotel. (Ticket only….Ticket uplift details to be announced) (P)
6.30pm: Family Pet Show, Market Area Whitesands (P)
7.00pm: The Dumfries of Robert Burns, Old Brig House, Devorgilla Bridge.
WEDNESDAY 14th JUNE
9 am: Principals visit Schools and Care Homes in Dumfries (P)
10am: Pop-Up Exhibition, Dumfries in a new light! The Smithy, Dumfries High Street
1.30pm: Principals visit Care Homes in Dumfries (P)
7.30pm: Cornets Ball, La Dolce Vita / The Bank / Loreburn Hall (P)
6.30pm and 8.30.pm: Mostly Ghostly ‘Bad Neighbours Tours’ From Dumfries High Street.
THURSDAY 15th JUNE
9am: Principals visit Schools in Dumfries (P)
10am: Pop-Up Exhibition, Dumfries in a new light! The Smithy, Dumfries High Street
2pm: Principals visit Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary (P)
7pm: Kingholm Ride Out, Leaves Huntingdon Market (P)
7pm: Dumfries Medieval Tour, Devorgilla Bridge, Whitesands
9.30pm: Cornets Supper, Rugby Club, New Abbey Road, Dumfries (P)
FRIDAY 16th JUNE
10am: Pop-Up Exhibition, Dumfries in a new light! The Smithy, Dumfries High Street
10.30am: Baby Show, St Mary’s Church Hall, Dumfries (P)
10.45 am: Principals visit Ewart Library Dumfries (P)
12 noon: Cornet and Cornets Lass attend Rotary Luncheon, Cairndale Hotel Dumfries (P)
2pm: Principals visit Care Homes in Dumfries (P)
6pm: Children’s Fancy Dress Competition, Planestanes Dumfries (P)
7pm: Family Treasure Trail, Planestanes and High Street Dumfries (P)
7pm: Corberry Park Pipers entertain, High Street Dumfries (P)
7pm: Guid Nychburris 5k Road Race (hosted by Dumfries Running Club) Crichton grounds (P)
7.30pm: Dumfries RSCDS Annual Guid Nychburris Summer Dance with Susan MacFadyen’s SDB, Locharbriggs Community Centre
GUID NYCHBURRIS DAY
SATURDAY 17th JUNE
8am: Riding the Marches, Leave High Street (P)
9.30am: Children’s Fun Fair, High Street
10am: Pop-Up Exhibition, Dumfries in a new light! The Smithy, Dumfries High Street
10am (approx): Various Entertainment / Stalls, High Street and Midsteeple
11.30am: Arrival of invited guests at Midsteeple
12Noon: Cornet, Cornets Lass and followers arrive on horseback, at Plainstanes, Midsteeple (P)
12.15pm: CHARTER CEREMONY AND ‘CROWNING OF THE QUEEN OF THE SOUTH’ (P)
1pm (approx): Various Entertainment Midsteeple and High Street (P)
1.30pm: Queen of the South Association Lunch, Cavens Arms, Buccleuch Street
2pm: Cornets Lunch, Rugby Club, New Abbey Road Dumfries (P)
3.30pm: Principals walkabout High Street, Dumfries (P)
5pm: Guid Nychburris Parade, Leaves Council Car Park Newall Terrace (P)
6.45pm: (approx): Beating Retreat, Buccleuch Street (P)
7.30pm: Border Strathspey and Reel Society, Fiddlers Rally, The Bridge, Glasgow Road Dumfries
