Christmas lights switch-on will launch festive season in Perth Funds also released for Bonfire Night
Early details have been released about Perth’s Christmas lights switch on event.
The festive season will arrive in the Fair City on Saturday, November 17.
Councillors were given a flavour of what will happen at a meeting of the Perth Common Good Fund committee on Wednesday.
Entertainment already confirmed includes a funfair, street food, ice sculpting, street art as well and the usual street entertainers.
As well as the main stage, there will be a young person’s stage to mark the Year of Young People.
Artists for both the main stage and young person’s stage are still being sought, but the council has vowed to give local groups the opportunity to participate in performances.
Santa’s Parade will leave from Thimblerow before going down High Street, Scott Street, South Street to Tay Street, although this is subject to approval from the police and roads department.
The action will start at noon, culminating in the switch-on at 6.15pm, which will be marked by special effects lighting and pyrotechnics display on Tay Street.
Stage entertainment will continue until 9pm.
Councillors agreed to use £40,000 in the common good fund to finance the event.
Last year’s event attracted around 45,000 people and generated £1.6 million for the city. Singer and TV star Alesha Dixon was the headline act, with the event costing £176,000.
Councillors were told the event is an integral part of the four-month winter festival, which begins at the end of this month with a Hallowe’en event and runs through until February with the light nights events.
A report to the committee said: “The objective of the programme is to generate additional economic benefits for the city through increased footfall and expenditure by visitors and residents while also contributing to the vibrancy and cultural life of the city, raising the profile of Perth as a leading events destination in so doing.
“The winter programme has developed significantly over the past few years but the Christmas Lights event remains as a standout feature.”
A Perth and Kinross spokesperson told the PA they expected an announcement on who would headline this year’s event by the middle of this month. Around 45,000 people attended the Christmas light switch on last year