My chum and I had a nice stroll along the annual Edinburgh Canal Festival the other weekend – after days of rainy showers, the sun came out, hot and strong that weekend. The festival itself felt smaller than previous years, not least because the Raft Race, which is what started the whole thing (existing before th festival grew around it) is now taking place on a different date, so it felt like crowds were smaller, there were less stands and fewer bands etc (and it all finished fairly early in the afternoon compared to previous years)

That said, we still had a great time, had some nice food and drinks (someone was making proper, fresh fruit-filled Pimms, a perfect summer sunny day drink!), enjoyed some of the bands and browsed the stalls, while taking pics (my friend wanted a go with the camera too).

Band entertaining the crowds around Lochrin Basin, where the canal now ends

Jazz band I have photographed at previous Canal Festivals was back, with some swinging tunes!

I was delighted to see our smiling mermaid was back again this year. We pointed her out to some small kids near us, and she waved to them – their faces lit up!

Even the barges became stages for entertainment!

Kayak fun!!

Ball right in the net!!!

I rarely appear in front of the camera, preferring to be behind the lens, but my chum wanted a go with the camera and took this shot of me, with a child apparently growing out of my head!

One of my swan chums decided to join me!!

Light waves reflecting off the sunny water onto the curved underside of the old, arched, stone bridge

And a slo-mo video of the same, because it was kind of gently mesmerising.