Inverness Celebrates 400 years Of Bonfires

The City of Inverness Grand Bonfire and Fireworks Display organised by The Highland Council is one of the biggest and most popular family events staged in the Highlands. 

This Saturday’s event (5th November, 2005) takes place on the 400th Anniversary of the foiling of the Gun Powder Plot and will start at 6.30pm with the opening of Horne’s Fun Fair and entertainment around the bonfire featuring the Nairn Academy Pipes and Drums and a spectacular display of Fire Poi by ‘Belenos’. 

Nairn Academy pupils are guaranteed to get even the coldest toes tapping with their exciting fusion of Scottish Pipes and Samba music. ‘Belenos’ is a group of eight young people from Inverness who have been practising Poi for over three years as part the Out of Eden programme from Eden Court.

Provost William Smith will judge the annual Inverness Youth and Community Group Guy Competition before lighting the bonfire at 7pm which will be followed shortly afterwards by a spectacular Fireworks Display staged by the Fireworx Scotland Display Team.

The Bught Park spectacular is regularly attended by crowds in excess of 10,000 and has grown in popularity in recent years. Like many other local authority displays across Britain the Inverness display has played a major part in reducing the number of injuries suffered by younger members of the community. The number of firework injuries requiring hospital treatment recorded across Scotland fell to 68 in 2004 and it is hoped that the numbers will continue to fall as new legislation and increasing awareness among youngsters that Fireworks are best left to the experts continues to grow.

The Council has issued an appeal to all parents not to bring sparklers to the event and for local car drivers to help ease congestion in the Bught Park area by setting off earlier and using the City Centre, Highland Council headquarter and Charleston Academy School Car Parks.