Surprises in store for Inverness shoppers

The Inverness Winter Festival organisers have arranged a number of surprises for shoppers heading for Inverness this weekend as the countdown to Christmas gathers pace and two of the Festival’s latest attractions open for business in the Victorian Market. 

The Inverness Local History Forum’s Toy Museum featuring dozens of toys from yesteryear will offer older shoppers a chance relive childhood memories while local youngsters will be given the chance to put the finishing touches to their orders for this year by having a quiet word with Santa in his Grotto.  

Both attractions will open at noon and will be officially opened by 8 foot 6 inch tall Big Rory and his confused red nosed dog Ochie who has decided he is a reindeer. Also wandering the streets of Inverness to discuss the importance of sharing with customers at the tables outside the city’s various café’s will be the two Giant Seagulls, Gregory and Peck who caused mayhem at the Ness Islands Halloween Show.   

The Festival’s newly created wandering City Centre Pipe and Drums group has been given the task of playing for anyone who looks like they are in need of a personal tune, while the more gentle sound of Clarsach will fill the air in as Katie Masheter, Anna Duff and Anna-Mairead Ferguson perform in the Victorian Market from noon on Saturday and Sunday. Also performing over the weekend will be Clarsach player Laura Green performs in Inverness Museum and Art Gallery from 12.30 on Saturday and Accordionist Tom Cruickshanks in the Victorian Market from 2pm on Sunday. 

Inverness Winter Festival Organiser Cllr Fraser Parr said “We are really looking forward to seeing the reaction of the shoppers in the city centre over the weekend to the surprises that we have got planned for them. Our various performers have been given the task of producing as many laughs as possible and if the antics of the Seagulls on Ness Islands are anything to go by I am sure we can look forward to a fun weekend”

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