A sneaker festival will return to Glasgow for its fourth run.
City footwear experts Alan Lynn and Robert Stewart are behind Sole Bloc which will take place in SWG3 this August, uniting fans of the subculture for a jam-packed weekend of family-friendly activities.
Alan said: "We as sneaker lovers put the event on to promote the whole sneaker industry."
Alan and Robert launched their popular brand of shoe care products, Sneakers ER, in 2015. They now run the first and largest sneaker laundry in Europe out of a listed building in Trongate.
A sneaker laundry is a place where people can bring in their damaged kicks to be repaired, repainted, and cleaned.
"We set them up because we realised there was nowhere to take a pair of sneakers to get them fixed. There are places you can take other shoes, but nowhere specifically for sneakers," says Alan.
He added: “The Glasgow public use it all the time. People will go to a festival all weekend and trash their shoes, and then they’ll come here on the Monday and we’ll have them back looking like new again."
Since opening their flagship, Alan and Robert have gone on to open sneaker laundries in Manchester, Liverpool, and London.
The pair have used their company's success to give back to the community that they love by launching Scotland's largest sneaker festival.
Buying, collecting, and trading trainers has exploded in popularity with the advent of social media, especially in Glasgow.
Alan said: “Glaswegians traditionally have always been heavily into fashion and buying and collecting.
"And the whole sneaker industry has really changed. It used to be a case of you bought one pair of sneakers, you trashed them, and you bought another pair.
"But nowadays in the social media world, people like to buy and look after their shoes, get another pair, and build a collection up. Post them on social media, talk about them, and trade them. That’s become such a big thing.”
At this year's festival, fans can expect big-name private sellers and collectors like Cheshire Creps selling and trading rare trainers that can't be found on the high street.
Attendees will be able to get their hands on limited edition Air Jordans, Nike Dunks, Yeezy 350s, vintage Adidas Gazelles, and more.
Food stalls will be set up in collaboration with The Big Feed and each room (including the outdoor area) will play host to some of Glasgow's best DJs.
Festivalgoers will also be treated to designated kids areas, panel talks with industry leaders from sneaker and lifestyle brands, graffiti art demonstrations, skateboard showcases, and basketball hoops.
High-end vintage purveyors Secondhand Wonderland market will have a stall set up for sustainable fashion lovers.
Adult tickets are £7.50 (+ fees) and there is a reduced price for under-16s (who must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over), as well as group tickets for parents and families.
To find out more, click here.
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