A FESTIVAL is being held to celebrate the Glasgow Canal.

Members of the public are being invited to take part in the fun-filled festival which will feature live music, street food, crafts and activities.

As part of the first-ever Glasgow Canal Festival, an inaugural Glasgow Canal Dragon Boat Race will be held.

Entries are now open for the public to be in with a chance of being crowned the city’s Dragon Boat Racing champion.

Ten teams of 15 people will each battle through a series of heats to be crowned the champion.

As well as the boat race, the event which has been organised by Scottish Canals, Glasgow City Council, National Theatre of Scotland, The Whisky Bond and Queens Cross Housing Association, will also include free boat cruises along the canal.

Origami boat design and building classes will also be taking place to put amateur engineers skills to the test.

The festival celebrates the ongoing transformation of the area, which in recent years has saw the creation of a flourishing cultural quarter featuring the likes of the National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Opera and the creative hub of The Whisky Bond.

Urban sports also sit at the heart of the area, with Pinkston Watersports – Scotland’s only urban white water course – and Glasgow Wake Park located on the banks of the canal.

Steve Dunlop, Chief Executive of Scottish Canals on behalf of the Glasgow Canal Project, said: “From the water to the banks and beyond, the Glasgow Canal Festival will celebrate everything that makes North Glasgow such an incredible place.

“The area has seen a tremendous transformation in recent years and it’s only been possible with the support of the local community and businesses; this festival is a fitting way to mark the next chapter in the story.

“I’d encourage everyone, whether they’re looking to put their paddling skills to the test in dragon boat racing, try their hand at canal boat origami, or just enjoy a fantastic day out, to come along and make the most of Glasgow’s canal.”