The popular Fire Engine Rally returns to Johnstone on Saturday 13th August.

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Once again, big crowds are expected to descend on the town’s Houston Square for an afternoon of family fun. Fire engines and other emergency vehicles from across the ages will gather in the town centre, with the day forming part of the calendar of events taking place across Renfrewshire as part of the Paisley 2021 bid for UK City of Culture.

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Starting at 11am, the day will begin with a parade of vintage fire engines from Johnstone Fire Station, down Thorn Brae, to Houston Square. The parade is expected to take half an hour and all the vehicles will be on display in Houston Square for the rest of the day.

The event is being hosted by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with the Fire Heritage Trust and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will be putting on a number of dramatic demonstrations during the day, showing the public how they go about responding to fires and accidents. Other entertainment will be provided by regular falconry displays throughout the day, music from a DJ and a bouncy castle.

Renfrewshire’s Provost, Anne Hall, will be in attendance on the day and may even get involved in the fire rescue demonstrations.

She said: “This will be the third time Johnstone has hosted the Fire Engine Rally and it’s proving to be an extremely popular event with the local community.

“It’s a great event which provides fun for families while also delivering important safety messages and it provides a boost for local businesses in the town centre too. It’s further evidence of the range of cultural events which take place across Renfrewshire and shows the region-wide support for our Paisley 2021 bid for UK City of Culture.”

The Paisley 2021 bid aims to transform the town and Renfrewshire’s future by using its unique cultural and heritage offering as the home of the Paisley Pattern and one-time centre of the global textile industry.

Bids are expected to be lodged with the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Spring 2017.

For more information on Paisley 2021, visit  www.paisley2021.co.uk, like /Paisley2021 on Facebook or follow @Paisley2021 on Twitter and Instagram.