WebMarApr18

www.westendermagazine.com | 23
Top Things To Do
in the West End
For kids who may be unable to enjoy an egg or
two this season, why not come along and support
the annual Easter Egg Run on the 1st of April
in aid of The Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
Always an incredibly emotional and joyful event,
over 1,000 bikers ride through the streets of
the city in a colourful, noisy convoy in aid of the
Hospital. The bikers make a donation or are
sponsored for this incredibly worthy cause.
Easter Egg Run 2018, Sun 1st Apr
w:glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org
Running weekends throughout the school
holidays, the innovative Puppet Animation
Festival is back for its 35th year. The UK’s
biggest performing arts festival for children is
taking place at venues across Scotland. In the
west, the hub for the action is Maryhill Burgh
Halls. Aimed at children 0-12 years, there are
also sensory storytelling performances. Puppet
making, stop motion animation, workshops,
theatre and film; how much more fun can school
holidays be?
Puppet Animation Festival
31st Mar-8th Apr, Maryhill Burgh Halls
w:maryhillburghhalls.org.uk
Top for Comedy
It’s no surprise that the Glasgow Comedy
Festival is the first comedy festival of the year,
with trailblazing comic talents exuding an air of
'watch and learn' to our Aussie/South Africa/
English, sorry Edinburgh comedy festival rivals.
The 1st festival was in 2003, following the Stand
Comedy Club approaching the council with a
comedy festival proposal. 16 years later, the
overwhelming success of the festival is clear
to see: 40 venues, 400 shows over 18 days.
As well as the big guns Ed Byrne, David Baddiel,
Phil Jupitus plus Comic Relief Live, the festival
prides itself on nurturing home grown talent.
As such, venues such as Dram, the Hug and Pint
and QMU have superb performances on offer,
easily competing with talent in the larger venues.
The programme is immense and too extensive
to feature here, but with a huge presence in the
west at e.g. Cottiers, Oran Mor, The Tall Ship,
as well as obviously at the Stand, you won’t be
stuck for options. If you fancy a go yourself, the
festival has organised The School of Stand up,
a pre-festival event with seminars on how to
perfect the art. With so much to choose from,
better get booking. Prepare to be entertained.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
8th-25th March, various venues.
w:glasgowcomedyfestival.com
Top for Heavenly Music
St. Bride’s Episcopal Church community in
Hyndland are in the midst of restoring their
beautiful church organ. Built by William Hill and
Son in 1865, 150 years serving the congregation
has taken its toll on this beautiful instrument.
In 2017 a full restoration project commenced.
On Sat 28th April, in aid of the restoration, a
glorious organ recital is being held. St Brides
are delighted to announce that Henry Fairs,
international recitalist and associate head
of organ studies at the Royal Birmingham
Conservatoire will be performing. The recital will
include music by Bach, Rachmaninoff and Elgar,
to name but a few. Following the concert, you are
invited to an informal wine reception. The event
is free, however all donations to the restoration
of the organ would be gratefully received.
As such an integral part of St Bride’s Church,
the organ is also a stand-alone item of historical
importance. Once restored, what a wonderful
resource for the wider community of Hyndland.
St Bride’s Organ Recital featuring
Henry Fairs, Saturday 28th April
7.30pm, St Bride’s Episcopal
Church, 69 Hyndland Road G12 9UX
w:stbridesglasgow.wordpress.com/organ