New additions to City Events and Festivals
An exciting range of events has been approved for the city of Inverness Events and Festivals programme for 2019-20 with new additions to the programme announced.
Members of The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee have approved a budget of £340,000 from the Inverness Common Good Fund to enable staging of the following planned events for the 2019/20 season:
• Inverness Highland Games Weekend on 19-20 July 2019
• Halloween Events at Ness Islands 26-27 October 2019
• Civic Bonfire on 5 November 2019
• Christmas Lights switch on at the City Centre on 17 November 2019
• Winter Wonderland on 13-15 December 2019
• Kirking of the Council on 8 September 2019
• Hogmanay celebrations on 31 December 2019 into 1 January 2020
In addition to the well-established festival favourites, Members’ also approved a suggested format for a new event “Riverlights” on 28 – 30 November 2019 (with a detailed report on any proposals to come back to the City of Inverness Area Committee); and the creation of fringe activities on 27 – 29 June 2019 to support Inverness hosting the European Pipe Band Championships - an international event secured by local promoter LCCLive.
The new multi-agency ’Riverlights’ pilot project proposes to stage riverside projections and street festivals. The event aims to showcase the natural beauty and heritage of Inverness by including a spectacularly visually-stimulating, light show. Members approved the suggested format for the proposed new event which aims to attract more tourists out of season and noted the new opportunity for more local involvement.
Provost and Leader of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “It is fantastic that the Events and Festivals programme is still bringing so much entertainment for locals and will continue to attract a wide spread of tourism during the more quiet time of year. Working with our partners on the new Riverlights project we looking forward to seeing how it could bring more agencies from business, development and tourism together on this exciting new initiative.”
Deputy Provost and Chair of the Events and Festivals Working Group, Cllr Graham Ross said: “I am very pleased to announce that the theme for this year’s 2018 Halloween show will be ‘Nights of the Living Dead’. The show will be held on Ness Islands on Saturday 27th Oct (6.30pm - 8.30pm) and Sunday 28th Oct (5.30pm - 7.30pm).
He added: “I am also very excited to reveal that the exclusive line-up for our Hogmanay celebrations hosted by Craig Hill will be: ‘The Trad Project’ (chosen to mark the Year of Young People); ‘Blazin Fiddles’ (celebrating their 20th anniversary); and ‘Tide Lines’ who have been given the honour of welcoming in the New Year.”