Bunting, ballots, and a bitter battle: One week until crucial by-election
The bunting is already up in the main street of Larkhall ahead of the annual gala.
But the town is also at the centre of a political battle which has grown increasingly bitter in recent days.
The SNP has held the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency since it was created in 2011.
The party of the Scottish Government is defending a majority of 4,582 from the Holyrood election in 2021.
Katy Loudon is looking to retain the seat for the party after the death of Christina McKelvie. STV News SNP candidate Katy Loudon, Scottish Labour candidate Davy Russell, Tory candidate Richard Nelson, and Reform UK candidate Ross Lambie are fighting for the Hamilton, Larkhall, Stonehouse seat. STV News
Loudon lost out to Labour in the Westminster by-election for Rutherglen and Hamilton West in 2023.
Just as that result was used as a pointer for the General Election, this one will also be examined to see what it can tell us ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next year.
Has the SNP managed to steady the ship? Has Labour lost the momentum that swept them into Downing Street? Has Reform managed to translate the hype into votes? And what impact has that had on the Conservatives?
So far, the campaign has been overshadowed by a racism row, as well as jibes at the Labour candidate Davy Russell for being a no-show at hustings events, as well as a planned debate on STV's Scotland Tonight.
These events are a staple of election campaigns like this, a chance to get your message across and connect with voters you might otherwise not be able to reach.
He did agree to sit down for an interview with me at a climbing centre in Hamilton.
He insisted he isn't running scared, claiming voters appreciate the personal touch on the doorstep instead.
He has made the conscious decision to make that the focus of his campaign, shunning the bigger platforms.
It's a gamble.
He started the campaign as the bookie's favourite, but has since slipped behind the SNP.
We'll see if it ultimately pays off after June 5. Candidate name Party Collette Bradley Scottish Socialist Party Andy Brady Scottish Family Party Ross Alexander Lambie Reform UK Katy Loudon Scottish National Party (SNP) Janice Elizabeth Mackay UK Independence Party (UKIP) Ann McGuinness Scottish Green Party Aisha Jawaid Mir Scottish Liberal Democrats Richard Nelson Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Davy Russell Scottish Labour Party Marc Wilkinson Independent
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