Thousands flock to University for fourth annual May Festival

Thousands flock to University for fourth annual May Festival

The fourth annual University of Aberdeen May festival has been hailed a huge success as thousands of people enjoyed a wide variety of events - and even the sun stuck around for the whole weekend!

Over the course of the weekend, the University welcomed thousands of visitors to its campuses and buildings as people from across the city, shire and beyond snapped up tickets for the likes of sports pundit Pat Nevin, actress and comedienne Elaine C Smith and The One Show’s science expert, Marty Jopson.

The festival, which is part of Aberdeen’s Festivals Collective initiative, boasted over 100 events encompassing themes that included Innovation, Architecture and Design, History and Heritage, Food and Drink, and Word.

The University’s own staff and students once again featured in the ever popular Discover theme which gave visitors the chance to explore and discuss current research through workshops, exhibitions, debates and talks.

On Saturday, Elphinstone Hall was home to the Produce Market and then was transformed into the Hall of Mayhem on Sunday, with children (and adults) enjoying some interactive, hands-on fun. Youngsters also visited the festival face painter, bouncy castle and were able to capture the fun at the Mayhem photobooth.

Ever present in the May Festival programme was a number of free walking tours giving attendees the opportunity to learn more various buildings on the Old Aberdeen campus, including the Sir Duncan Rice Library and King’s College Chapel, and for the first time members of the public were also able to tour the new Rowett Institute on Nutrition and Health at Foresterhill.

Dr Kenneth Skeldon, Head of Public Engagement at the University, said: “Our May Festival has this year set a new benchmark for encouraging and welcoming visitors to our spaces and buildings. The atmosphere was fantastic and the enthusiasm of our staff and students unrelenting, making for a memorable experience for all those we welcomed onto campus.

“The May Festival is unique in Aberdeen for its diverse cross-platform programme, which we are able to deliver thanks to the valued support from all our sponsors and supporters, which the year included Total, Nexen, the Arts & Humanities Research Council, EventScotland, Creative Scotland and Balmoral Group. Together, we have achieved our most well-received University festival to date, and hope to build on this for next year.”

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