| Where: | St Andrews, Fife from North Street, via South Street & Market Street |
| When: | Saturday/Sunday in mid-April |
| Time: | 2pm |
St Andrews University is the oldest academic institution in Scotland, and its Kate Kennedy Club stages a magnificent pageant each year celebrating the great characters and events from Scotland’s history. The parade is led by the St Andrews Pipe Band and the patron saint of Scotland St Andrew; a (usually)male student dressed as Kate, accompanied by her uncle Bishop Kennedy brings up the rear of the procession in a daffodil-bedecked horse-drawn carriage – there is no historical evidence that Kate ever really lived but that doesn’t stop her appearing here! Also expect many other characters in fancy dress with set pieces of drama, including a spirited re-enactment of the brutal murder of Archbishop Sharp. Golfers, divines, scholars, monarchs and courtiers all take their place in the parade, with elaborate costumes, cross dressing in both directions and some luxuriant false beards. In the old days it used to be a riotous event which local worthies repeatedly tried to ban but still the Procesion marches on…
Helpful Hints
In 2024 it was on Saturday 13th April- 2025 date is yet to be announced.
In 2023 it was on Sunday April 2nd but it’s nearly always on a Saturday so make sure you go on the right day!
It lasts about an hour. Programmes are on sale on the day -look out for students with charity collection buckets outside St Salvators; in 2018 they were £3 and well worth having to help identify all the characters in the procession.
Click here for the University website : http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/
and here for the event facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thekatekennedyprocession
and website: https://katekennedyclub.squarespace.com
But you don’t say what time it starts!
Ooops – yes I see it’s 2.00 pm up at the top! Sorry!
No problem – the when, where and time always appear at the top on this website, with additional notes under Helpful Hints if you scroll down the page. This is where you also find the links to the official websites that belong to the events, which I always recommend you check out for any changes that might be made after I’ve updated calendarcustoms – Facebook pages are particularly useful for changes at the last minute, due to weather conditions or other emergencies. Hope you find the site useful!
Averil
As a 70 year old StAndrean , I look forward to this annual pageant by Students and Residents of StAndrews.
However in recent years the Procession Marshalling has failed miserably to the detriment of enjoyment by all onlookers.
Severe Bunching of Historical Caracters throughout the Route. Has made it difficult for onlookers to identify these important people and their connection to St Andrews and contribution to Scottish History.
The Procession Marshall at all times must maintain a reasonable spacing between Characters portrayed . This is important after the Staging of Archbishop Sharp Murder at the Two Locations on the Route and when being presented to the Invited Dignitaries on the platform in front of the Holy Trinity Church in South Street.
Let’s hope for once the Kate Kennedy Club and officials get it right this year for the enjoyment of Townsfolk and Visitors. Also please send sellers of programs out from Mid Day to sell them in the town centre and publicise this annual colourful event.
Hope my comments will be taken on board for the 2019 event on Saturday 19th April.
Dear Mr Speight,
Thank you for making contact with calendarcustoms about the Kate Kennedy Procession. We’re not involved with the organisation of the event, but if you visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thekatekennedyprocession I expect the organisers would welcome your constructive criticism and will hopefully take it on board. I attended last year and enjoyed it – but I was watching near the start and the bunching up you describe hadn’t yet happened, and I agree it would be helpful for the programmes to be visibly on sale earlier in the day as they’re very useful identifying the characters in the parade,
Best wishes,
Averil
I would like to find out more information about the soldier that is in the the procession where can i find this information, cheers jim
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your message. You’ll need to contact the organisers of the Procession to find that out- you can message their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thekatekennedyprocession or use the contact form on their website at https://katekennedyclub.squarespace.com/contact Hope you manage to get the info you need!
Best wishes,
Averil