RECORD crowds are predicted for this year's annual canal festival.

Organisers of the Kirkintilloch Canal Festival are promising the widest range of activities.

The week-long series of events are aimed at the whole family.

Among the activities on offer are a Story Week, which celebrates local history while cruising on the Forth & Clyde Canal.

And Get Active Saturday features a variety of activities designed to get people of all ages involved in fun things to do on and around the canal.

This will be followed by the ever popular evening concert and fireworks display.

East Dunbartonshire Council leader, Rhondda Geekie, said "The festival is growing in popularity every year and we are always looking at ways to improve it.

"Asking local traders to take part in a window dressing competition to be judged by the local community is something new for this year.

"We know that last year the event brought in almost £400,000 to the local economy thanks to the 28,500 people who descended on the town centre over the weekend.

"We want local business to benefit as much as possible from that."

The whole festival culminates in a Gala Day around the town centre and marina on Sunday.

Attractions on Gala Sunday include boat trips along the canal, the M&D funfair at Barleybank and the marina, historical re-enactments in Peel Park, water-zorbing at the marina and children's activities at the Auld Kirk Museum and William Patrick Library.

There will also be a huge outdoor shopping fayre in Cowgate and stilt walkers, face-painting, live music and dancing will be on offer.

Traders in the town are being encouraged to get into the spirit of the festival by opening late over the weekend and adopting a nautical theme leading up to and during the festival week, including window dressing, themed menus and entertainment.

The success of the festival, which was launched 12 years ago after the canal reopened following 40 years of closure, is boosted by the rich history of the area.

The Forth and Clyde Canal was the first canal to be built in Scotland, and much more recently, has been the largest ever canal restoration project in the country.

When work began on the Forth & Clyde Canal in 1768, the plan was for the waterway to progress steadily westwards from the River Forth, via the River Carron, to Stockingfield in Maryhill.

When completed, it was a 35 mile canal, with 39 locks, from Bowling on the northern bank of the Clyde to the southern side of the Forth near Grangemouth.

The canal was constructed between 1768 and 1790, bringing new opportunities for trade and manufacture to the communities along its banks.

Small ocean-going vessels could carry goods along it, and legs of the canal branched off into Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The pace of industrial change in the 19th century was so great that by the time the major canals were all completed, their role as transport routes was already being overtaken by the railways.

After years of neglect, the canal was brought back to life in 2001 as part of a major project that included the building of the Falkirk Wheel.

For a detailed schedule of the activities on offer in Kirkintilloch from Monday August 19 to Sunday August 25, visit the website at www.kirkintillochcanalfestival.org

stef.lach@heraldandtimes.co.uk