Community / Brae community event ‘one of the best’ yet
A BOAT parade, zorbing, bouncy castles, sport, film screenings, an eela, picnics, a carnival, zombie make-up – Brae just about had it all this weekend.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the North Mainland village played host to its latest Come to Brae Days event, which organisers have hailed as one of the best yet.
The family-friendly event proved to be a tonic after a tough last year and a half – and felt like things inching back to some sort of normality, social distancing and face coverings aside.
Danny Peterson, who has been involved in organising the event since its inception in 2017, said Come to Brae Days was a positive boost for the community.
It also included a series of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Delting Boating Club.
“The Come to Brae Days this past weekend was very successful,” Peterson said.
“The weather did its best to act against us on the Saturday, but the Sunday has been fantastic. Personally and from a committee perspective it certainly has been one of the best.
“We’ve not really had an activity that’s gone poorly over the weekend, everything was pretty well attended, and there were some real highlights.”
After the event went online last year due to Covid restrictions, the team tried to offer as much in-person activities as possible.
Although it is hard to tell at this stage how many folk came to Brae over the three days, Peterson said the village had a “very busy weekend”.
He said the boating club was “absolutely heaving” on Sunday, which he hoped could provide a boost for its committee after missing out on hosting Delting Up Helly Aa when it was postponed due to Covid.
Peterson said there has been about six or seven folk on the Come to Brae Days committee who have driven things over the last few years.
The team first met for the 2021 event in January and in the lead-up to the event there were meetings every second week.
“The committee is strong but I know for a fact that we will be looking for more folk to be involved. We want to make next year bigger than this year.
“Anybody that wants to get involved we would love to hear from you and we will be seeking your engagement as we go.”
Peterson said the overarching aim of the weekend is to showcase the amenities and facilities Brae has to offer.
“It’s become, I hope, a staple in folk’s calendars,” he said.
“There’s so much to do and so much to see in Brae.”
Peterson also praised the engagement of local businesses and organisations such as the Delting Up Helly Aa committee and leisure centre operator Shetland Recreatonal Trust over the last few years.
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