Ness Islands Lights Switch-on for Santa’s Weekend Visit

One of the highlights of the first Inverness Winter Festival has started to brighten up the winter skies in Inverness. The Ness Islands Lights are currently being tested by The Highland Council’s lighting unit in preparation for the eagerly-awaited weekend visit to Ness Islands of Santa Claus and his Reindeer, who will be having a restful pre-Christmas camping trip.

Santa and his reindeer will be happy to meet children and their parents at the Ness Islands from 2 – 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The mini-railway in Whin Park will be open from 1pm on Saturday and Sunday for free rides.

The Ness Island Lights will be on display between 3 pm – 11 pm from the weekend until Tuesday 6 January, 2009.

Councillor Glynis Sinclair, a member of the Inverness Winter Festival Working Group who promoted the idea of the Ness Islands Lights, said: “For many older Invernessians, the return of the decorative lights on Ness Islands will bring back memories of the visits that they made when they were children and it was one such visit when I was a little girl that inspired me to suggest that a whole new generation of children would enjoy experiencing a walk on the Islands.”
 
She added:  “We have been delighted by the number of enquiries that have been received in the Winter Festival Office about this event. While our contract with the Fairies who live on Ness Islands really does prevent us from saying too much before we open, thanks to the creative skills of the Highland Council’s lighting team, Evanton-based Arts in Motion and our friends at Eden Court Theatre we are really looking forward to seeing the looks on the faces of the families when they discover who really lives on Ness Islands this weekend.”
 
 
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