Full line up announced for two-day Comet Festival
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19/06/2025Full line up announced for two-day Comet Festival
A packed programme of family-friendly fun entertainment at the two-day Comet Festival has been announced.
The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday, 21 and 22 June in Coronation Park, Port Glasgow.
This year’s festival has been specially extended to cover the weekend to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Port Glasgow.
Saturday will begin with a parade at 11.30am made up of floats, local school children and community groups with samba band Bloco Winnoch and the Salvation Army Band adding to the carnival atmosphere.
The festival will be officially opened by Provost Drew McKenzie at 12.15pm followed by a stellar line-up of live entertainment on the stage including Blue Moon Trio, line dancing and Irish dancing, Greenock Rock Choir, The Gift, Kayos Theatre Company, Craeo and Jack Vize and the Black Ties.
The entertainment zone will have a shipwreck model for kids to explore, badgemaking, face painting, drop in Dungeons and Dragon sessions, arts and crafts, play activities and a place to share your memories of Port Glasgow. A football tournament will also be held on site.
Across the park there will be come and try cycling and Dr Bike clinics, a funfair, traders and local groups, rib boat tours, street theatre, come and try circus skills, soft axe throwing and archery, storytelling, a poetry workshop and a writers’ zone.
Away from Coronation Park, Newark Castle will free to visitors all weekend thanks to Historic Environment Scotland, there are archive displays at Port Glasgow Library and fringe events across Port Glasgow town centre.
On Sunday, it’s the return of the Port Glasgow 10k which starts and finishes in Coronation Park from 11am then football training from 12noon till 2pm with Port Glasgow Boys Club.
The entertainment zone will be open from 12noon till 5pm with arts and crafts, kids play sessions, Bookbug, Port Glasgow photography displays, Port Glasgow Seed Library, Wyllieum Craft group and much more.
Praise in the Park is from 2.30pm till 3.30pm led by the Salvation Army while a number of food stalls will also be on site including Purdie’s Pantry, Downriver Coffee and Bay Ices.
Pictures in the Park will start at 1pm with Moana 2 on the large outdoor screen, followed by Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at 3pm then the Wicked Sing-a-long from 5.10pm.
Provost Drew McKenzie said: “This is a terrific line up with lots of things on to entertain people of all ages.
“Entry to the park is free on both days so I would urge people to make a weekend of it and take it all in.
“The weather is looking fantastic for both days and I’m sure the community of Port Glasgow will come out and celebrate their town in this historic year.”
Links to book the free workshops and tours:
- Poetry Workshop on Saturday 21 June 2025 (1pm – 2pm)
- Storytelling with children’s author J.L. Givens, The Witch & The Snitch, Saturday 21 June (12:30pm – 1pm)
- Guided tour of Newark Castle
Saturday 21 June 12:30pm – 1:30pm - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/guided-tour-of-newark-castle-tickets-1414763478649?aff=oddtdtcreator
Sunday 22 June 12:30pm – 1:30pm - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/guided-tour-of-newark-castle-tickets-1414773939939?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Comet Festival is named after and celebrates the Comet, Europe’s first commercial steamship which was built in Port Glasgow by John Wood & Sons between 1811 and 1812.
Plans are currently underway by Inverclyde Council to commission a new Comet replica in the town to acknowledge its importance to Port Glasgow’s heritage.
The origins of Port Glasgow date back to the late sixteenth century when the authorities in Glasgow purchased land by the village of Newark to establish a port for the city.
The Port Glasgow (Improvement) Act 1775 defined the burgh’s municipal responsibilities and its authority to raise duty.
The Act was passed on 22 May 1775 and Port Glasgow was born.
For the latest on all the Port Glasgow 250 activities, check out Discover Inverclyde.
