Thousands of spectators turned out in Oban on Saturday for a street party to celebrate the Queen’s birthday in conjunction with the town’s annual charities day.
The refulgent parade, full of flag-waving scouts and guides groups, and brownies and sea cadets, was led by Oban pipe band from the Corran Halls down George Street and along to Station Square.
At the back of the parade was a 1934 Rolls Royce which was carrying the Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute, Patrick Stewart, along with his wife.
When they arrived, Mr Stewart joined the president of the Oban Lions, William Coutts, who organised the charities day, and the pair handed out awards for the best decorated of the 46 stalls and best-dressed person in the parade.
There was the threat of rain throughout the day, but it held off for the street party, which started at 2.30pm with the sounding of horns from CalMac ferries and yachts in the bay.
This signalled the Lord Lieutenant’s moment to cut the Queen’s birthday cake, at which point the volunteer military band HMS Neptune Babcock played Happy Birthday, with the crowd all singing along.
Several local businesses had decorated their windows for the day and provided food and drink for the occasion free of charge.
One of the outlets, MacGillivray’s seafood, even provided 250 large rolls packed full of various delights including crayfish, prawns, scallops and smoked salmon.
A 100-seat table was set up in the square for people to enjoy the food and soak up the carnival atmosphere.
Organiser Graham MacQueen stated later: “I would say it was probably a record-breaking number of people in Station Square.
“I couldn’t begin to think how many people were there, but the place was absolutely packed. There were certainly thousands.
“It was very inspiring to see such huge support from the whole community, because everyone in Oban joined in and it makes us all very proud”.
