Reindeer parade thrills Oban crowds
Crowds lined the streets for Oban’s much-loved reindeer parade at the weekend.
Santa and his reindeer led the way from the Corran Halls carrying two special guests and stopping off en route to hand out sweets and say hello to excited youngsters - all on their best behaviour.
Winners of this year’s Oban Rotary Club Christmas card competition were Alexander Maxwell from Rockfield Primary School and Nathan Torrel from Park Primary School, who were rewarded with a lift in Santa’s sleigh all the way to Station Square ready for the big lights switch-on.
Two other winners of the Christmas card competition, Eve Milarvie from Lochnell Primary and Ruari Cottier from Dunbeg school, did the honours with a helping hand from Santa and an Oban FM countdown.
A big cheer went up when the lights flicked on marking the official start of Oban’s festive celebrations as part of the town’s event-packed winter festival running until Sunday November 25.
Snowflake lights and a dazzling tree in Argyll Square are just some of the displays organised for the first time this year by BID4Oban, which took on the switch-on event.
The organisation was allocated £9,000, agreed by Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee, to commission a contractor to put up the lights, test and maintain them as well as to remove them at the end of the season.
Town ambassador Kay McDonald from BID4Oban said: ‘What a fantastic evening we all had. It was the most massive turnout I’ve ever seen. A big thank you to everyone who came along and especially to all those who helped make it happen.’