Mascot leads park event to mark six months until ‘smartest’ Commonwealth Games

Glasgow Commonwealth Games mascot Finnie has led children in a run around a park, marking six months until what organisers say will be one of the “smartest” events of its kind.

Finnie – a unicorn with a traffic cone for a horn – put the delighted youngsters through their paces at Barshaw Park in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on Friday, joined by athletes, volunteers and members of community groups.

The event coincided with the launch of the All In campaign, which aims to spread “Commonwealth Games fever” across the whole of Scotland by getting people involved in a range of related activities.

Louisa Mahon, chief marketing and communications officer for Glasgow 2026, said the city is “100%” ready for the sporting extravaganza, which will involve some 3,000 athletes and “hundreds of thousands of sports fans”.

“Today marks six months until Glasgow hosts the biggest sporting event in Scotland and the UK this year, and you can really feel the excitement building,” she said.

“Glasgow is a city who knows how to do it really, really well.

“We have had incredible support from all our city partners, and we will be ready come July 23, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone.”

She also praised the way Glasgow is delivering the Games, having only taken on hosting duties in 2024 following the withdrawal of the state of Victoria in Australia.

This year’s Games will feature fewer sports than it did in 2014, when it was last held in the city, and will see competitors housed in hotels rather than in a dedicated athletes’ village.

“Glasgow 2026 is one of the smartest, most sustainable Commonwealth Games that there has ever been,” Ms Mahon said.

“We have been incredibly excited to deliver an entirely new model as part of Glasgow 2026.

“(We’ve) been able to house our athletes, welcome them into the city, to be living and breathing in the heart of the city and amongst the sport in action.

“We can’t think of a better model or a better way to deliver our Games in such a smart, sustainable and clever way.

“What we are doing is creating a model that will be able to be used by the rest of the Commonwealth and nations that might never have imagined having been able to host a Games.”

She described the All In campaign as a “rallying cry” to people across the country to get involved in this year’s Games, which she said “belonged to everybody”.

She added: “This is the opportunity for organisations, and we’ve already heard from hundreds of them, desperate to be part of the Games.

“It’s your opportunity to throw your own event, your own celebration, design that the way you want it to be designed, and your hometown and the places that matter to you, and be part of that Commonwealth Games fever.”

Scott McFarlane is festival director at Paisley Alive, a music and fitness festival taking place in the town in July.

“Glasgow 2026 will get the whole country moving, connecting and celebrating what Scotland does best – and that’s exactly why Paisley Alive is going All In,” he said.

“Of course these Games are about world-class sport, but they’re also about culture, community and creating a moment that brings people together.

“We’re proud to join the first organisations to go All In ahead of the launch of Paisley Alive, Scotland’s first ever wellness and music festival in July, and help kickstart the energy that will carry Scotland into an unforgettable summer.”