Celebrations mark 10th anniversary of The Kelpies

Celebrations have been taking place to mark the 10th anniversary of The Kelpies sculptures near Falkirk.

Created by sculptor Andy Scott, the two 30m-high equine works were unveiled in 2014 and tower over the nearby Forth & Clyde Canal.

They were inspired by Scotland’s working horses which used to pull barges along canals and worked in fields in the area where the sculptures stand.

The Kelpies were commissioned by Scottish Canals which organised the Kelpies 10 event along with Falkirk Council.

Clydesdale Horse demonstrations, performances by a number of pipe bands and family activities were among the events taking place at the sculptures on Saturday to mark the anniversary.

The Kelpies are located at The Helix Park which is situated between Falkirk and Grangemouth.

The day culminated with the first evening concert to take place on the site, featuring Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie, musician, DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant with her Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble, and bagpipe band the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who performed a set of their “Bagrock”, a fusion of traditional Scottish Music and rock/pop anthems.

Evening celebrations also included a screening of Walid Salhab’s The Kelpies, a short anniversary film, and a fire show from Pyroceltica.

Scottish Canals’ chief executive John Paterson said: “Scottish Canals had a vision to create a piece of art at the eastern gateway to Scotland’s historic Forth & Clyde Canal.

“The Kelpies pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in fields in the area where they now stand. Now almost a decade on and these magnificent works of art are global waterways icons attracting thousands of visitors to Scotland each year.

“The Kelpies 10 event has been a fantastic celebration of 10 years of the magnificent Kelpies, and we have been delighted that so many visitors have been able to enjoy the numerous family friendly events throughout the day, culminating in the first ever live concert at the Kelpies this evening, with some really impressive performances.

“We are looking forward to the next 10 years as we continue to make better lives by the water.”

Organisers said that more than 10,000 visitors gathered at the Kelpies 10 event on Saturday.

Falkirk Council Leader Cecil Meiklejohn said: “Since their original construction, The Kelpies have brought millions of visitors from Scotland, the UK and across the globe to witness these iconic structures that feature so prominently on our local landscape.

“The Kelpies 10 event has been a great way to celebrate their presence and ensure the interest that they generate continues for decades to come.”