What’s on in Helensburgh & Lomond

Join us at the Helensburgh 7s, 10s & Minis Festival on May 10th & 11th for a weekend of incredible rugby and community spirit. With 40 teams across 6 pitches on Saturday and over 400 players taking part on Sunday.

This year, we’re proud to honour the memory of Club Legend Ollie Curtis by fundraising for The Hearts and Balls Charitable Trust and introducing the Men’s 7s Player of the Tournament Trophy in his name.

Plus Superheroes and Princesses fancy dress theme – prizes for the best dressed individual and teams!

The Arts Society Lomond and Argyll have an exciting line-up of events. These are open to Members (free) and Guests (£10) – visit https://www.tasla.org.uk/ to find out about Membership! Lectures are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every Month At Victoria Halls, Helensburgh at 10.30am, with coffee available beforehand from 10am.

September 10th 2024 The Classical Re-invented – The Brilliant Legacy Of Sir Christopher Wren By Ian Swankie
October 8th 2024 The Trials and Tribulations of Vincent Van Gogh as seen through his works by Carole Petipher
November 12th 2024 Matisse-Master of Colour by Lydia Bauman
10th December 2024 Gotta Dance: The Hollywood Musical by Colin Shindler
14th January 2025 A Renaissance Art in England: Henry V111. Elizabeth 1 and the Greenwich Armourers by Tobias Capwell
11th February 2025 The Wallace Collection: A Palace of Genius
11th March 2025 The Story of Jewellery in Scotland by Clare Blatherwick
15th April 2025 Fashion, Feathers & Feminism: Women’s Fight for Change by Tessa Boase
13th May 2025 Painting Is Dead… Long Live Photography! by Aliki Braine
10th June 2025 Pierrot Heroes – The Evolution Of British Seaside Entertainment by Tony Lidington

Achtung Baby – we’ve got great tunes coming up for you on Friday May 16 at Cove Burgh Hall.

W2, a fantastic tribute to rock legends U2, will be with us bringing all the top hits of more than 50 years in the industry.

It’ll be a Beautiful Day when the hall throws open its doors at 7pm with the band on stage at 7.30pm – With Or Without You it promises to be a corker, so don’t miss out.

Bar will be open so no BYOB please.

It’s a perfect party night with friends, crooning to some belting hits and having a bit of a shimmy.

Tickets £12.50 – open to gold cards. Book at www.coveburghhall.org.uk

Boat Trips Helensburgh run fabulous trips on the Clyde from Rhu Marina on their boat Jola Too, with outdoor & warm indoor seating for all 12 passengers, a toilet, and complementary tea, coffee & local Helensburgh tablet. Check out all their 5* reviews on Tripadvisor!

Last chance to book!

Helensburgh Shoreline & Sugarboat
Cruise along the beautiful Helensburgh waterfront, towards the Sugarboat Wreck getting an upclose look at the MV Captayannis. Hear the story of how this cargo ship came to rest on its side in the Clyde while enjoying a complimentary tea or coffee onboard.

There is a chance to see local wildlife such as seabirds, seals, porpoises and if we are very lucky, dolphins.

Duration: 1 Hour Availability: Sun 18 May 11am & 3.30pm Sat 24 May 11am & 3.30pm

Clyde Estuary Cruise
This trip is two hours of pure escapism. Leave your everyday life behind as you step onto the boat and just live in the now. Realise you don’t need to go anywhere or do anything other than enjoy the moment.

Concentrate on your senses. Can you smell the sea? Can you feel the air/sun/rain/spray on your skin? Can you hear sounds apart from the engine? Can you sense the motion of the waves as they pass under the boat? What can you see? Seals? Ferries? Seabirds (can you identify them? We can help). Porpoises? Channel Buoys? Minehunters? Submarines? Leisure yachts? Dolphins? Isolated danger mark? The Waverley paddlesteamer? Tankers? Motorboats? Each trip is different.

Put yourself in the hands of our experienced skipper. sit quietly in the fresh sea air, sipping your complimentary cup of tea or coffee, savour the moment, and just BREATHE.

Our boat is very comfortable, spacious & stable with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating for all passengers, & a compact toilet compartment.

Duration: 2 hours Availability: Sun 18 May 1-3 pm Sat 24 May 1-3pm

Visit the website for full details and booking

RSPB Loch Lomond run a series of events throughout the year – find the full listing and booking information at https://events.rspb.org.uk/lochlomond

• Dawn Chorus, Saturday 3 May 4.20-7.30am
  Sensory Bluebell Walk, Sunday 18 May 10-12am
  Wild Food Foraging – Saturday 28 June 1-4pm
  Wildflower Wander – Sunday 27 July 1-3.30pm
  Wild Food Foraging – Sunday 28 September 1-4pm

Helensburgh has been called the ‘Garden City of the Clyde‘, and there are lots of lovely local gardens to visit! Many of these are open through Scotland’s Garden Scheme.

Sunday 11 May 2pm-5pm 18 Duchess Park and Westburn
Sunday 18 May 2pm-5pm Ross Priory, Gartocharn
Sunday 1 June 2pm-5pm Geilston Garden, Cardross (NTS Admission charges apply)
Sunday 17 August 2pm-5pm Glenarn Garden Plant Sale, Helensburgh

Glenarn Garden is open 21 March to 21 September, Dawn to Dusk https://scotlandsgardens.org/glenarn-2/
Linn Botanic Garden is open 18 June – 17 August 2025 (not Monday & Tuesday), 10am – 5pm whilst the gardens undergo restoration – see https://scotlandsgardens.org/linn-botanic-gardens/ for details

Get Ready to Unplug with Jim Gellatly at Loch Lomond Shores!

We’re beyond excited to announce that the legendary Jim Gellatly will be joining us at Loch Lomond Shores for our Lomond Unplugged weekend!
Get ready for a weekend filled with incredible live music, handpicked by the Award-winning broadcaster, himself. Jim’s passion for discovering and championing new Scottish talent is infectious, and we can’t wait to see what gems he brings to our stage.
Jim has played a key role in uncovering many of the most important bands around, including Oasis, Snow Patrol and Coldplay. The first person to play the likes of Biffy Clyro, The Fratellis, Twin Atlantic, Amy Macdonald and KT Tunstall on the radio, Coventry’s The Enemy have also credited Jim on several occasions for picking up on them while still unsigned.
CALLING ALL BUSKERS!!!!
If you are currently busking your way around Scotland, and want to take your music career to the next level, our Busking Competition at Lomond Unplugged is for YOU! We are looking for talented singer-songwriters who are currently unsigned to submit their demo videos to us, where Jim & his team will select the TOP 16 to play on our Lomond Unplugged stage on Saturday 24th May, at Loch Lomond Shores.
After a combined public and judges vote, the 16 will be whittled down to 8, to come back and play on Sunday 25th May. The overall WINNER will then be selected and announced on the Sunday afternoon.

More information at https://www.facebook.com/LochLomondFoodandDrinkFestivals

Boat Trips Helensburgh run fabulous trips on the Clyde from Rhu Marina on their boat Jola Too, with outdoor & warm indoor seating for all 12 passengers, a toilet, and complementary tea, coffee & local Helensburgh tablet. Check out all their 5* reviews on Tripadvisor!

Last chance to book!

Helensburgh Shoreline & Sugarboat
Cruise along the beautiful Helensburgh waterfront, towards the Sugarboat Wreck getting an upclose look at the MV Captayannis. Hear the story of how this cargo ship came to rest on its side in the Clyde while enjoying a complimentary tea or coffee onboard.

There is a chance to see local wildlife such as seabirds, seals, porpoises and if we are very lucky, dolphins.

Duration: 1 Hour Availability: Sun 18 May 11am & 3.30pm Sat 24 May 11am & 3.30pm

Clyde Estuary Cruise
This trip is two hours of pure escapism. Leave your everyday life behind as you step onto the boat and just live in the now. Realise you don’t need to go anywhere or do anything other than enjoy the moment.

Concentrate on your senses. Can you smell the sea? Can you feel the air/sun/rain/spray on your skin? Can you hear sounds apart from the engine? Can you sense the motion of the waves as they pass under the boat? What can you see? Seals? Ferries? Seabirds (can you identify them? We can help). Porpoises? Channel Buoys? Minehunters? Submarines? Leisure yachts? Dolphins? Isolated danger mark? The Waverley paddlesteamer? Tankers? Motorboats? Each trip is different.

Put yourself in the hands of our experienced skipper. sit quietly in the fresh sea air, sipping your complimentary cup of tea or coffee, savour the moment, and just BREATHE.

Our boat is very comfortable, spacious & stable with a choice of indoor or outdoor seating for all passengers, & a compact toilet compartment.

Duration: 2 hours Availability: Sun 18 May 1-3 pm Sat 24 May 1-3pm

Visit the website for full details and booking

Artisanal food and drink at La Jupe wine bar in Helensburgh – Book your table to ensure a spot!

29 May Hand Brewery Tasting Night – book online https://www.lajupe.co.uk/event-details/hand-brewery-tasting-night

Helensburgh has been called the ‘Garden City of the Clyde‘, and there are lots of lovely local gardens to visit! Many of these are open through Scotland’s Garden Scheme.

Sunday 11 May 2pm-5pm 18 Duchess Park and Westburn
Sunday 18 May 2pm-5pm Ross Priory, Gartocharn
Sunday 1 June 2pm-5pm Geilston Garden, Cardross (NTS Admission charges apply)
Sunday 17 August 2pm-5pm Glenarn Garden Plant Sale, Helensburgh

Glenarn Garden is open 21 March to 21 September, Dawn to Dusk https://scotlandsgardens.org/glenarn-2/
Linn Botanic Garden is open 18 June – 17 August 2025 (not Monday & Tuesday), 10am – 5pm whilst the gardens undergo restoration – see https://scotlandsgardens.org/linn-botanic-gardens/ for details

Welcome to our next Save The Tower fundraising event, being held in the main atrium of the Civic Centre.

Included in the ticket price is a sumptuous Afternoon Tea consisting of a selection of sandwiches, sausage roll, cake, traybake, scone with cream & jam, all homemade by Jo from The Terrace Coffee House. On arrival you’ll be offered your choice of Prosecco or orange juice, and tea/coffee will also be served.

It will be a wonderful afternoon topped off with entertainment by fabulous vocalist, Kirsty McLaren. Licensed bar available.  We can’t wait to see you there!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-afternoon-tea-with-musical-entertainment-tickets-1322844697099

Stonehenge, a TASLA Special Interest Day

Stonehenge is the most famous and sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the British Isles, an inspiration to painters and poets for centuries and a puzzle to early antiquarians. There can be no better guide to its architectural layout and construction, its possible uses and the maze of new discoveries and recent theories than our speaker, an experienced archaeologist who has specialised in Stonehenge and its surrounding area. Julian has frequently appeared on BBC programmes, like Meet the Ancestors. His talk for us last February, A Potted History of Britain, was a comprehensive and entertaining survey of Britain’s pots from the Neolithic to Now, and he has recently curated a permanent display of ceramics for Salisbury Museum and Art Gallery.

The cost of the day will be £55, comprising speaker’s fee and expenses, venue hire, morning coffee on arrival at 10.30 and a soup and sandwich lunch around 1 pm. The day will finish ca. 3.30 pm.

To register for the event, please download a registration form from the TASLA website and return the completed form with payment of £55 pp by cheque or BACS. Members will be given priority to the end of March. Full details and booking information are at https://tasla.org.uk/index.asp?pageid=613799

The Arts Society Lomond and Argyll have an exciting line-up of events. These are open to Members (free) and Guests (£10) – visit https://www.tasla.org.uk/ to find out about Membership! Lectures are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every Month At Victoria Halls, Helensburgh at 10.30am, with coffee available beforehand from 10am.

September 10th 2024 The Classical Re-invented – The Brilliant Legacy Of Sir Christopher Wren By Ian Swankie
October 8th 2024 The Trials and Tribulations of Vincent Van Gogh as seen through his works by Carole Petipher
November 12th 2024 Matisse-Master of Colour by Lydia Bauman
10th December 2024 Gotta Dance: The Hollywood Musical by Colin Shindler
14th January 2025 A Renaissance Art in England: Henry V111. Elizabeth 1 and the Greenwich Armourers by Tobias Capwell
11th February 2025 The Wallace Collection: A Palace of Genius
11th March 2025 The Story of Jewellery in Scotland by Clare Blatherwick
15th April 2025 Fashion, Feathers & Feminism: Women’s Fight for Change by Tessa Boase
13th May 2025 Painting Is Dead… Long Live Photography! by Aliki Braine
10th June 2025 Pierrot Heroes – The Evolution Of British Seaside Entertainment by Tony Lidington