Children’s street parade to meet Bjorn the Polar Bear launches Dingwall’s Winter Festival
Hundreds of excited children from all the Dingwall and Seaforth Ward Primary Schools took part in a street parade last night (Thursday 14 November) as they made their way to meet the star attraction, Bjorn the Polar Bear at a special event to mark the start of the town’s winter festival.
The Festival is being organised and promoted by Dingwall and Seaforth Members, Dingwall Community Council and Dingwall Business Association (BIZ) who have been meeting weekly with support of many volunteers both individuals and groups. Help and sponsorship for last night’s event came from Dingwall Rotary, , Dingwall Academy pupils, the National Hotel, the British Legion, Highlife Highland, Munro’s Butchers, BEAR Scotland and shops in the town, some of whom stayed open late.
Over the last few weeks local artist Lizzie McDougall has been entertaining over 750 children during 15 storytelling sessions with an adapted version of a Viking saga about a boy from Iceland who accompanied some Vikings on their travels and saves an orphaned Polar Bear Cub. Inspired by the story, Lizzie then led art sessions with 190 children making things for the Winter Parade to welcome Bjorn the Polar Bear to Dingwall. All the pupils have been very creative, designing, making and decorating eye-catching banners, bunting and torches to take with them as they make their way down Dingwall High Street.
Lizzie said: “It was a marvellous evening and so colourful with all the children waving the artworks they had made in the workshops. I would like to thank all the teachers for their support and all the young people as their enthusiasm and creativity has been overwhelming so it was really lovely to see so many smiling faces.”
The parade started from the British Legion at 5pm and on arrival at the National Hotel the children were led inside to enjoy a show featuring the star attraction, Bjorn the Polar Bear. As well as getting the chance to ask questions and find out more about Polar Bears, the delighted children got the chance to stroke and get close to the gentle giant.
Councillor Graham MacKenzie was one of the many volunteers who came to help run the event. He said: “Along with my fellow Ward members for Dingwall and Seaforth - Councillors Alister Mackinnon, Angela MacLean and Margaret Paterson, we were very proud of the way community groups came together to make the launch of our Winter Festival so successful. In particular I would like to thank the Fire Service and Police Scotland for their support. We had over 600 children visiting Bjorn the polar bear who opened our festivities. This was a magnificent performance and the children enjoyed it enormously. All the local schools had put in a lot of time and effort to ensure that our parade down the High Street was a marvellous spectacle. We look forward to the remaining two events in our Winter Festival.”
Community Council representative and Dingwall Business Association member, Murray Mackay, is on the Community Working Group for the organisation of the Dingwall Winter Festival. He said: "Bjorn the polar bear's visit to Dingwall attracted hundreds of primary school age children, some older and some younger along with their parents and supporters. Everyone was filled with awe as Bjorn entered from behind a screen onto the artificial ice surface created on the floor of the Seaforth Room in the National Hotel.
“There is no doubt that this popular event proved to be an outstanding community success and provided an excellent launch pad for Dingwall's Winter Festival.
“On behalf of all Dingwall's Community Volunteers, I wish to thank our Ward Manager, staff of the Highland Council and not least our elected members of the council for their initiative and support in staging a Winter Festival in Dingwall for the first time in many years."
The Winter Festival celebrations in Dingwall continue with two other events taking place on the 30th November and 12 December with lots of treats in store including reindeers, Santa, entertainment, stalls and a flaming torch procession.