Santa helps Lochaber celebrate winter festival
THIS Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of the Rotary Club’s annual Lochaber Christmas Festival and to mark the milestone the club is joining forces with Fort William Town Team to create a fun-filled, two-day event.
The fun begins with the High Street Christmas Gathering tomorrow (Friday). Everyone is invited to gather at the Parade Green at 5.45pm ready for Santa’s arrival at 6pm.
Santa will then lead the lantern parade, accompanied by Lochaber High School Pipe Band, along the High Street to Cameron Square for the Christmas lights switch-on and a sing-along.
Bring your own lanterns or get a glow stick for the evening. A street magician will entertain visitors during the evening, there will be a mini fairground for children on Cameron Square and lots of other activities along the High Street including Santa’s Grotto and late night shopping.
Town Team chairwoman Moira Robinson is urging everyone to join in the fun: ‘Come and join us in the High Street for an evening of fun and entertainment. We’ll have lots for you to see and do including the Christmas tree light switch on, late night shopping and much, much more.’
Santa then returns to Cameron Square, this time with his reindeer from Aviemore, sponsored by Ferguson Transport & ShipTWO ping, at 10.30am on Saturday morning, when he will be joined by little cheerleaders, the Ben Nevis All Stars, and Lochaber Pipe Band.
At 11am, Santa, accompanied by little elves Faolan Hunter and Kayla Duncan, winners of this year’s Lochaber Times Christmas Card Message Competition, will make his way along the High Street and over the Parade Green to arrive at the Christmas Festival in the Nevis Centre at noon and open his Grotto where, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Festival, there will be a special surprise for the youngsters this year.
The annual Christmas Festival Designer Craft and Food and Drink Produce Fair will be open from 9.30am until 4.30pm. This year the children’s activities will occupy the studio hall with the craft and gift stalls and food and drink displays in the main hall.
The snack bar and children’s play areas will be open. The grand raffle offers prizes of five quality local food hampers and, for whisky connoisseurs, there is a collection of all six classic malts worth more than £200 up for grabs.
Rotary President Donald McCorkindale commented: ‘With almost 70 stalls and a huge range of gifts and crafts, this is the perfect event to meet all your Christmas shopping needs. Working with the Town Team, we have created a really exciting two-day treat for the family.’