AS SUMMER festival season gets ready to kick off, here at Times Past HQ, we are looking back to one of the best music events ever staged in Glasgow.

The Big Day, which took place 34 years ago almost to the day, delivered a whopping 40 free gigs in the space of 12 hours.

On June 3, 1990, pop chart-toppers Wet Wet Wet, local starlet-and-friend-of- Prince Sheena Easton, and top Scottish acts Love and Money, Hue and Cry, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, His Latest Flame, Deacon Blue, Texas and Big Country all took part in the £2.5m event which was shown live on Channel 4.

Glasgow Times:

More than 300,000 music fans flocked to the city for the event, which put Glasgow firmly on the music festival map.

“Sparkle-eyed” Easton, sporting a new hairstyle and fresh from cancelling a recording session in the US to perform in Glasgow, was looking forward to being back on home turf.

“The last time I played in Glasgow was over 10 years ago at the Apollo,” the Bellshill-born singer told the Glasgow Times as she arrived off the London shuttle on the Friday.

“I’m sad to hear that it’s gone but I know we’ll have a lot of fun at the Big Day. It’s great to be back.”

Glasgow Times:

The Big Day was organised as part of Glasgow’s year as City of Culture. Adamski, Maria McKee and Billy Bragg were also on the bill alongside the Tommy Smith Quartet, Dick Gaughan and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

“Glasgow rocked and rolled into the early hours this morning after the biggest street party in history,” our newspaper reported on the Monday.

“More than 300,000 took to the streets for 12 hours of entertainment from 40 bands.

“In the surrounding streets, clowns, jugglers, dancers, skateboarders and a Chinese dragon entertained the throngs.

“Hours after the Big Day officially ended, tens of thousands of partygoers thronged the city centre determined to make the fun last all night.

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“Attendance outstripped even the organisers’ expectations as 100,000 took to city centre streets; 50,000 squeezed into George square; 30,000 crammed Glasgow Green; 2000 filled Custom House Quay to capacity.”

And civic leaders and the police were delighted that there were only 14 arrests for minor offences.

*Were you at The Big Day in 1990? Send us your photos and memories. Email ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk