THE Comet Festival is back with a bang this weekend as it returns to Port Glasgow for the first time in three years.

Coronation Park will host the annual event tomorrow, with live music, stalls, food and drink tents and a funfair.

The free-to-attend festivities will kick off at 11am with the traditional parade through Port Glasgow town from Brown Street car park.

Celebrations will then get under way from 11.30am after the parade reaches Coronation Park.

Cameron McQuade and Hayley Johnstone will be crowned this year's gala king and queen during the festival.

The pair met with Provost Drew McKenzie and Ian Arthur from the Comet Festival Committee to welcome the festival's return after Covid,

Provost Drew McKenzie said: “It’s exciting that the Comet Festival is back after the enforced absence and I’m looking forward to seeing Coronation Park full again of people enjoying a nice day out.

“This event has been around for as long as people can remember and is a real staple of the Port Glasgow calendar, so I hope Port residents and indeed people from across Inverclyde will come along on the day to show their support.

“It’s not easy to organise something like this so congratulations to the Comet committee for pulling it all together and I wish everyone a lovely day out on Saturday.”

The event has been organised with support from Inverclyde Council.

New gala queen Hayley, who is 12 and a pupil at St Stephen’s High, said: “I help out at the festival every year with my family.

“I’m a bit nervous and excited about being gala queen this year.”

Comet king Cameron McQuade, who is also 12 and attends St Stephen’s too, said: “I’m a local boy who always comes along to support the festival.

“I was pleased to be asked to be gala king and happy to step up.”

The festival is the latest in a series of events taking place as part of Inverclyde Council’s Meliora Festival and next up will be the Port Glasgow 10k on Sunday starting at Coronation Park at 11am.