Lights party will be bigger and brighter

Council officials are lining up Perth’s biggest and best ever Winter Festival programme, with plans to enhance the Christmas lights switch-on extravaganza.

This year’s event is due to take place on Saturday, November 19, with two days of family fun lined up to fill the weekend.

Perth Common Good Fund is gifting around £50,000 to the money-spinning gathering which has been credited with bringing in an additional £1.6million to the area.

The cash request is broadly similar to previous years and will pay for a main stage, street entertainment and a parade led by Father Christmas.

Perth Common Good Fund is being asked to contribute further funds which will be used for Christmas wreaths to be mounted on lampposts around the High Street and King Edward Street, with Christmas trees dotted around the city centre.

Around £8500 could also be given for new Christmas lights on St John Street – the existing lights are no longer viable for repair.

The stars of the 2016 show will be revealed soon.

The Winter Festival began on November 5 with Bonfire Night in Perth.

A St Andrew’s Day festival will be held on November 27, with a Scotland Street marketplace and other events running from noon to 5pm on the day too. There will be plenty of dancing at the lights