Visitors up at riverside lights

Nearly 60,000 people turned out to enjoy Perth’s popular Winter Festival Riverside Light Nights.

The two-week light show finished at the weekend with a Valentine’s-themed event.

Perth and Kinross Council has confirmed 59,030 visitors took in the lights, an increase from 53,518 the year before despite being run over fewer nights.

Councillor Angus Forbes, convener of the council’s environment and infrastructure committee, said: “Combining spectacular light displays with live entertainment on the banks of the River Tay has proved a winning combination. Despite the cold and the drizzle we have once again saw thousands of visitors make their way to the park to brighten up their winter nights.

“Despite being run over fewer nights this year - 16 compared to 19 nights in 2018 - there was an amazing total of 59,030 visits to the event. That is even better than the 53,518 total visits to the event in 2018.

“Overall this year’s Winter Festival has been another resounding success, with positive feedback from visitors, both local and from further afield.‘‘

The most popular night was night one of the Chinese New Year theme with a total of 7818 visits recorded.

Themes this year also included Robert Burns, Comic-Con, the wonders of wizardry and magic and dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes.