Dunedin rolls out Scottish St Andrew's Day celebrations

The sound of bagpipes will be heard loud and clear in Dunedin's Octagon on Saturday, as the city celebrates the Scottish celebration of St Andrew's Day. Photo: Supplied

Stone lifting, speed porridge and a haggis ceremony will help to mark the Scottish celebration of Saint Andrew's Day in Dunedin on Saturday.

It has been 50 years since a sister city relationship was formed between Ōtepoti and Edinburgh.

Event organiser Simon Vare said Scots had been arriving in Dunedin since the 1850s, sharing their culture and helping to shape the city.

"Forty thousand Scots have come through Dunedin to settle in, and around the region and you see that today in the buildings and much that the city's tourism is based upon," he said.

The Dunedin-Edinburgh Sister City Society hoped to strengthen that connection and celebrate the shared history during the free St Andrew's Day event, with music, dance demonstrations and food samples.

They also wanted to have a bit of fun with events, including have-a-go bagpipes and stone lifting, with experts available to help people, Vare said.

"We've actually got a competition called The Big Blow Off, where you make as much noise as you can out of a set of bagpipes.

"I was told many years ago that the sound of bagpipes is the equivalent to an aeroplane taking off in terms of noise, so we've got a decibel meter to test that."

Back in the 1970s, the society bought the 'Stones of Manhood', made of Ōamaru spherical stones that range in size from 90 to 140 kilograms, he said.

They have demonstrations planned, before members of the public could try their skills with smaller stones.

He encouraged anyone attending to don some tartan to fly the flag for Scotland on the country's official national day.

The St Andrew's Day celebrations will run from 10am-3pm on Saturday, in the Octagon.