Free RIDONKULOUS street day transforms central Hawick

On Saturday 12 September, through traffic will give way to a six-hour community event on Hawick High Street. RIDONKULOUS – The Great Street Day will run from 10am to 4pm along the stretch from the Horse to the Heart of Hawick.

Entry is free and open to the public, with residents and visitors invited to attend. The Scottish Borders Council Active Travel Team and Outsider Events are organising the festival as part of the No More RIDONKULOUS Car Trips campaign.

A temporary road closure will create a people-focused space for entertainment, family activities, local traders and demonstrations of alternatives to short car journeys. The announcement was published by Scottish Borders Council News on 27 August.

Bikes, family attractions and a farmers’ market

The programme will combine family-friendly attractions with opportunities to learn about active travel and try different types of bikes. Organisers intend to show how walking, wheeling and cycling can be practical options for shorter everyday journeys as well as recreational activities.

A farmers’ market will form one of the main features of the day. Local producers and traders are expected to offer fresh, local and artisan produce, giving visitors another reason to move along the High Street rather than remain in one event area.

Entertainment and activities are due to run throughout the day, although an exact timetable has not yet been published. Visitors should therefore treat the confirmed 10am-to-4pm window as the current planning information rather than expect individual performance or demonstration times.

Hawick businesses are being invited onto the street

Businesses along the High Street are being encouraged to take part by decorating shop windows, arranging special offers or promotions, and bringing parts of their operation outdoors where appropriate. They may also host demonstrations, displays or activities.

Those elements are invitations to local businesses, rather than a confirmed list of participating shops. The final mix will depend on which traders and community organisations become involved before the event.

Councillor Jenny Linehan, Executive Member for Environment, Sustainability and Transport, said the aim is to bring people together, encourage them to explore Hawick and support its shops, services and community groups. She described the temporary change as making the High Street “a place for people for the day” while connecting the event with choices about walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting.

The closure route and details still to be confirmed

The confirmed event area follows Hawick High Street from the Horse to the Heart of Hawick. Through traffic will be removed temporarily, allowing the town-centre stretch to be used for the festival, market and outdoor activities.

The event is free and open to residents and visitors, with no booking step listed. The initial announcement does not provide separate transport or accessibility guidance, while detailed traffic-management arrangements have yet to be released.

The organisers are developing the programme with local businesses, community organisations and other partners. Further information about individual activities and the management of the High Street closure is due to be announced before 12 September.

Source: Scottish Borders Council News