THEY came, they watched and then they joined together in full voice to sing.

After a couple of days of sizzling sunshine it was going to take more than a few heavy rain showers to dampen the spirits of visitors at Glasgow Green.

One of Festival 2014's live zones, it was bursting at the seams with thousands of spectators there to watch the marathon and others putting their vocal chords to the test at community participation event Big Big Sing.

When the marathon finished late morning yesterday and the crowds dispersed around the park, sport was very much still on the agenda but there were plenty of distractions along the way.

Once the barricades came down along the way to the marathon finish line on Greendyke Street the crowds still roared, but this time for rugby sevens shown live in action on big screens from Ibrox in the food area and at the main stage, where just a few nights ago Lulu, Eddi Reader and Rab Noakes were among those leading the celebrations in the opening ceremony party.

There was a quieter mood late morning in the glittering surroundings of the spiegeltent, renamed the Playhouse during Festival 2014, when Ranjana Ghatak led Indian singing in one of the Big Big Sing workshops.

It was more Glastonbury than Glasgow Green as those seated at tables under the velvet canopied dome joined their voices together in soulful singing, followed by beatboxing and Gaelic singing before Stephen Duffy and his band hosted a vintage tea dance.

Director of the Big Big Sing, Sven Brown, said it was all about singing your head off: "Our philosophy is not about saying to people you can't sing, it's about saying anyone can sing."

A gospel choir and a band took the main stage in the afternoon to lead more than 100 Big Big Sing singers and thousands in the crowd.

Mr Brown added: "It has been euphoric and that's the reason why we're doing it: singing makes you feel good.

"That's the link to sport, if you think about singing in a choir it's the same thing, it's using your body, it's getting out and meeting people."

When the cultural programme was first planned it was important to weave sport in and out of it, blending culture with activities.

Yesterday was the first of three sports days at Glasgow Green, offering those not lucky enough to get tickets for events the chance to experience the thrills of the Games. It all happens again for the cycling time trial on Thursday and the cycling road race on Sunday. Meanwhile the free events continue every day with a rolling programme of activities.

"You can come and try sport, you can watch sport live on a big screen, there are performances and participative workshops, it's a fabulous mingling and mixture," said Clare Simpson, cultural programme manager. "Nothing puts the crowds off when it comes to a bit of rain, there's a real sense of exploring and participating."

With sunny weather forecast for today, nothing will hold them back.