Everyone loves a parade – well at least they seemed to back in the day.
Colourful street scenes which brought the city to life during special events are the theme of this week’s pictorial trip down memory lane.
They highlight the Dundee Festival which first took place in 1978.
The images cover the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
Grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy having another browse back through the ages courtesy of The Dundonian, which appears in the Evening Telegraph every Wednesday.
Some of these photographs have not been seen for years.
Maybe you will spot a familiar face?
Welcome to the 1970s
A large crowd outside the Steeple Church to watch the parade in September 1978.
The Dundee Festival was described as the “family festival” and included a Military Tattoo, raft race, swimming gala, beauty and talent contests.
On parade in 1981
McLean Ladies Pipe Band parading along the waterfront with the Tay Bridge visible in the background in July 1981.
Dignitaries from Dundee’s twin cities were taking part including Mayor Bassam Shakka from Nablus who watched a fiddlers’ rally in the Caird Hall.
Stirring strains of the pipes
Mayor Shakka also watched majorettes and heard pipe bands.
There was also a beauty contest at the 1981 event where the Dundee Festival Queen won a holiday for two in Spain from Ellerman Travel.
The 1988 Dundee Festival parade moving through Meadowside.
The Evening Telegraph said more than 100,000 people watched a whole host of floats, marching bands and dancers wind their way through the streets.
Wide variety of events in 1989
The 1989 Dundee Festival included a summer festival and autumn festival.
Hundreds of events included a play based on the life of Bonnie Dundee, the Dundee Festival of Folk Music and the first Scottish Fashion Week.
How Dundee looked in the 1990s
The fifth festival under the City of Discovery banner brought music, drama, dance, visual arts, sport and literary events.
There was also a series of child-orientated performances and activities.
Clowning around in 1992
The festival was a “celebration of life in the city”.
The month-long carnival covered as many interests as possible, from tea dancing and face painting, to circus skills and pavement drawing.
Cartoon capers in 1993
Some of the comic characters in the Festival Parade in June 1993 including Dennis the Menace, Pinocchio and Mickey Mouse.
Do you know who was behind the costumes?
Walking on air
A huge smile from a stilt walker at the parade in 1993.
There was delight on the faces of these Dundee State Circus members when they heard they had won their section.
The parade goes by 30 years ago
The Dundee City Festival kicked off in June 1994 although some events were dampened by dreary weather during the afternoon.
Six hours of non-stop music was played by local bands in the City Square.
Twirling fun in the grey skies
The grand festival parade was supported by Radio Tay and gathered 40 entries.
Majorettes were among those who brought the city centre to life while a variety of street artists were also entertaining people in the Murraygate.
Vintage fire truck
Tayside Fire Brigade won the float competition in June 1994.
The vintage fire truck proved a big hit with young and old and took the £500 prize.
Live life to the max
Festival trust chairman Councillor Charles Farquhar said: “Exhibitions, sporting events, street theatre, community centre events, open air concerts, writers and guitar festivals, children’s events, theatre, dance and gala days all have their part to play in making Dundee’s own festival a memorable experience for both spectator and participant.”
They did.
It’s the final image of our pictorial trip down memory lane.
Did these awaken any memories for you?
Let us know.
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