Sister cities of Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Mheàrnaig) is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland with a population of 44,734, making it the 14th most populated place in Scotland, it is also the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'. Kilmarnock is often shortened to 'Killie', especially when it is referenced in a footballing situation.

Kilmarnock is the main town within East Ayrshire, and the East Ayrshire HQ is located on London Road in Kilmarnock, leading to the villages Crookedholm and Hurlford, which furthermore leads to Loudoun. Kilmarnock is the second largest town in Ayrshire, after only Ayr.

The first collection of work by Scottish poet Robert Burns, Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect, was published here in 1786, and became known as the Kilmarnock volume. The internationally-distributed whiskey brand Johnnie Walker originated in the town in the 19th century. Protest and backing from the Scottish Government took place in 2009, after Diageo, the owner of Johnnie Walker announced plans to close the bottling plant in the town after 289 years.

In recent years, Kilmarnock has boomed for musical acts and film locations. Rock band Biffy Clyro were formed in the town in a primary school in the late 1990s. The 2001 film, Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) was shot in the town as was Manhunt (2004). In 2010, several people in the town were the focus of a BAFTA-awarding winning TV Show, The Scheme (2010–2011)