The Glasgow Garden Festival was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 29 April 1988. On a day of fine weather, Charles and Diana attracted a large and enthusiastic crowd to the event.
The royal couple received a musical welcome from a choir of 5,000 schoolchildren. They then toured the site on the miniature railway, which offered many photo opportunities for the spectators. This was followed by an ascent of the Clydesdale Bank Anniversary Tower in its revolving gondola, to the obvious discomfort of Diana.
Other celebrities to visit the Garden Festival included the Duke of Edinburgh, prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and Mark McManus, better known as the fictional Glasgow detective Taggart. An episode of the programme was filmed on the Festival site, which staged several other live broadcasts.
A crowd estimated at 100,000 turned out to witness the firework display when the Festival closed on 26 September. The occasion was marred when a firework exploded among the crowd, causing several injuries. Over 3 million visitors attended the Garden Festival over the summer.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC f607.3441443 GLA
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Clydesdale Bank Anniversary Tower, exhibitions, festivals, fireworks, Glasgow Garden Festival, miniature railways, opening ceremonies, Royals, Royalty, Taggart
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