LOCHGELLY Gala Day 2015 was simply a brilliant occasion.

The organising committee were concerned by the weather forecast on Friday which suggested that rain could be a problem last Sunday.

However, as it turned out the rain arrived overnight and the sky cleared by 8am and by the time that the parade began the sun was high in the sky.

The gala committee spent a lot of time organising things and their hard work ensured a superb parade and entertainment at the Public Park.

There were concerns on Friday when the suppliers of lorries for the floats had to withdraw at the last minute but Cowdenbeath company Kelly’s Welding stepped into the breach.

The town’s brass band was joined by Lochgelly High School Pipe Band, Drumatics and Dunfermline Samba Band.

Also taking part was Cowdenbeath Majorettes and Crossgates Crystals, along with the Lov2Dance and ZeeDC dance troupes, plus a bus with residents of the Mossview Residential Home taking part.

There was a vintage fire truck along with the TaeKwondo group and Newfoundland dog team. One of the features of the parade was stock car driver Grady Ross who had his special car on show, which he races at Lochgelly Raceway and the Racewall at Cowdenbeath.

But before the parade took place the fancy dress competition was held at the West End Park when Provost Jim Leishman; Citizens of the Year Elaine Stark and Lou Davidson along with Junior Citizen of the Year, Sarah Pratt were the judges.

The winners were 6 and under age group, 1 Liam Beveridge; 2 Michael Hindley; 3 Ayla Duff. Seven and overs, 1 Ryder Irvine; 2 Farrah Keenan; 3 Bryllie Celentano.

With the theme this year being The Jurassic Era there were some impressive creations on show during the parade. Crowds packed the pavement on Main Street and Bank Street as it made its way to the public park where the opening ceremony took place.

The cars supplied by the Co-op Funeral Service took the Citizens of the Year while the Provost led the courtege.

Free for kids at the park were inflatable bouncy slides and castle, the climbing rocks supplied by the RockGelly project, bunjee jumps and a climbing wall. There was also a programme of races organised by Lochgelly undertaker John Gilfiillan, and these covered a whole host of age groups, from the kids through to mums and dads and grans and grand-dads.

Lochgelly Development Forum’s Eileen McKenna, was delighted with the way the day went.

“We were a little worried by the forecast at the end of the week but in reality the weather was excellent and lovely and warm,” said Eileen. “We were very grateful to Kelly’s Welding and Blacksmith Ltd, for helping us out at the last minute with transport for the floats and we could not have asked for a better parade or turn out of people on the pavements. It really was a great community day in Lochgelly and certainly one to rememember.”