The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
FESTIVE CHEER FINDS BALLATER
Nothing was going to come between Ballater and its muchloved Winter Festival, writes Natasha Mckim
The community in Ballater never ceases to amaze, and it has come together once again to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas.
The popular Winter Festival has been on the go since 2011, but organisers found themselves around £4,000 short this year after a sponsorship deal fell through. Not ones to face defeat, the team who put together the programme of events rallied around and many local businesses contributed to the pot. Now the community is all set for an exciting time this weekend.
The annual Winter Festival is a highlight in the already busy calendar of the village. Well attended by locals and visitors, it is one of the few chances before a busy Christmas for everyone to get-together and have a big celebration.
Val Norton has been involved with the festival since its inception and is very excited that it will continue this year. She moved up from London with her husband 30 years ago and bought a hotel in Ballater and has become an essential part of the furniture in the community now.
“We have had the most fantastic generosity,” said Val of those who helped with the fundraising.
“Eleven weeks ago we found ourselves short and the village societies all came together to support the festival. The problem is that it isn’t self-sufficient so we are always going to need fundraising.”
To kick off the festivities, a showing of Whisky Galore! will take place along with a raffle and refreshments to help raise funds for next year. The committee are taking no chances and are getting the fundraising for 2018 on the go nice and early.
Sadly for those who have not already got tickets, the movie showing has sold out, but there are plenty of other things going on, including a quiz at the golf club to raise money for UCAN.
“UCAN is particularly close to my heart as it was started by my husband before he passed away, and his surgeon,” said Val.
“Last Friday there was a bingo night at the golf club. Our aim was to raise about £250 for the sweets for children, but we ended up raising £720.
“It is humbling having to raise money but we do it for the good of the village.”
Saturday morning starts with a buzz with the farmers’ market on the East Green. That kicks off at 10am until 2pm, while the Christmas market begins at 11am at the Glenaden Hotel Function Room and lasts until 4pm. If that isn’t enough shopping for you, then head to the antiques fair at Victoria Halls. It runs from 11am to 4pm and is the perfect place to tick off some of those Christmas shopping list items.
It isn’t all about the markets this weekend though. The festive spirit will well and truly be all around the village with plenty of things for the family to enjoy. The skating rink is on both Saturday and Sunday on the Church Green. Be the first to cut some shapes in the ice on Saturday when it opens at 12pm until 6pm, or on Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
“We book the ice rink as soon as it packs up the year before,” said Val.
“As soon as they leave on the Sunday it is booked, so we know what we are going to do.
“We usually try and get over Victoria Week before we start properly planning the Winter Festival. There are around 10 of us involved in the planning, most who have full-time jobs too.”
Val explained how the organisers plan their time: “We tend to meet every month and then every couple of weeks before the event and then whenever we need to.
“Yesterday we were all wrapping presents. We all got together and threw it all onto tables and worked together.”
A Winter Festival could not be complete without the big man himself, so make sure you pop by Santa’s Grotto on Saturday. Santa will be in from 1pm to 2pm to hear all the Christmas wishes, then again from 2.30pm to 3pm.
One of the main highlights of the weekend is the switch-on of the Christmas lights in Ballater. Taking place from 6pm on Saturday evening, the switch-on will be celebrated with the pipe band and a children’s parade to keep everyone entertained.
“If we didn’t have all the other activities I think it would be a rather dead weekend,” said Val.
“I remember one winter when my husband wasn’t well so it was too cold for him to go out. I went down for the lights switch-on and it was very cold. The lights are so beautiful but people didn’t hang around more than half an hour after that year.
“The Winter Festival started off very low key with the ice rink and some stalls. The first festival was a horrendous day and the gazeboes blew away.”
To finish off a busy Saturday, the golf club is hosting a race night from 8pm, so get warmed up and competitive.
From 11am on Sunday until 4pm, the Church Green is the place to go. There will be stalls, pick a square raffle and a bouncy castle for the kids to enjoy. Meet the Cairngorm Reindeer from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, along with Santa.
“The reindeer are normally on the green on Christmas Eve, but they will just be at the Hilton this year,” said Val.
“But we will have them at the Winter Festival along with Santa and sweeties.
“We also have a Christmas hat competition. You can wear a bought or a made one. We have a little girl who always wears a Christmas pudding hat constantly. Her grandad and a friend of the family also have Christmas pudding hats so the ‘three wise puddings’ are going to judge the competition and I think there will be an engraved trophy of some kind as a prize.”
Publicity to attract visitors from the surrounding area has involved banners in Aberdeen and other important locations. Families will enjoy the jaunt for a lovely Christmassy day out. With so much going on, it is no surprise that the community worked hard to keep the Winter Festival alive.