Saturday July the 20th - The market is back - article by David Brownless

Thanks to David Brownless of the Nairn Business Association for the following article:

If you were to ask a random selection of folk in  Nairn  High Street what they thought the word ‘Mercat’ meant, they would very likely answer that it was a small mammal and member of the mongoose family, that spoke with a Russian accent and sold car insurance…

However , aficionados of the Gurn, will know that it the old word for market and that Nairn’s ‘Mercat cross’ ( or what’s left of it) still stands outside the Court House. The cross itself is said to show that Nairn has the right to hold a weekly market, as laid down in the royal charter, granted to the town by Alexander the 1st.

The title Royal Burgh was lost to Nairn in 1312, allegedly after having been sent through to Inverness for safe keeping, though the diligent efforts of local government officials and assistance from the monarch of the day managed to relocate it, in 1476, only to let it slip through their fingers again sometime over the last 20 years…..  

During the long history of the town a market would have been traditionally held on a regular basis and, although there has not been  one for a few years now, the Association of Nairn Businesses is delighted to say that, it’s back. The market returns.

Saturday 20th July will see the High Street closed to traffic and given back to pedestrians for the day.

There will be a wide selection of stalls , plus all our existing town centre businesses and an exciting mix of music,  to make  a day  for the whole family to enjoy.

There will be all kinds of offerings from the traders taking a stall for the day: crafts, jewellery, patisserie, hot food, plants, produce and local charity stalls. There are even rumours of a set of stocks making an appearance, with some local  ‘well-kent names’  to throw things at ( seemingly, due to clearly ludicrous health and safety rules, the projectiles have to be soft…but who knows what they will have been dipped in first ?)

Giving the whole day a festival feel is a superb line up of musical talent.

Appearing on our version of the Pyramid stage ( it’s a mystical pyramid that is only visible to those that truly believe) are:

The Kitty Black Band

Susanna Wolfe

The Stellars

Mark Hudson

Kate Cruickshank

Jenna Mackintosh

And from Glasgow, The Lonely Whale

And for the those that prefer a more traditional sound, in our  ‘Neeps and Tatties‘  chill zone, we have :

Ho - Ro

Aye 2 Aye

Dan Leckie

Penguins Tuxedo

FirthSiders

Nairn Speldings

Holli Atkinson

Gaelic Choir

So we look forward to welcoming everyone to the High Street for a great family day out.

The event runs fromt 9am until 4.30 pm and, like the car parking, the entry is totally free and you can have as much fun as you like.

Come to Nairn and try something traditional.