Festiveinverness Winter Festival

24th September 2007

The Inverness City Committee of The Highland Council released further details of the highlights for the Festiveinverness Winter Festival taking place in the Highland capital from 16 November 2007, when a temporary ice rink opens in the city centre, until 12 January 2008, the beginning of the Old New Year, An t-Seann Bliadhn Ur.

As well as featuring events run by independent businesses in Inverness, the programme for Festiveinverness Winter Festival will incorporate the city's event marking the close of the year of Highland culture, and early evening family events on both the night of the Christmas Lights Switch On (Thursday 22 November) and on Hogmanay. The temporary ice rink will be located in Falcon Square and will feature in the events programme, providing a spectacular setting for themed entertainment. The Festiveinverness Winter Festival theme of Peter Pan reflects the Eden Court pantomime choice for 2007.

Provost Bob Wynd, chairman of the Inverness City Committee, said: "It is great to see businesses leading on the development of a Festiveinverness Winter Festival which will provide a platform for them to add to and build on existing festive events such as the Christmas Lights Switch On, Eden Court Theatre Pantomime and the many independent festive and Hogmanay events in the city. By bringing all events together and promoting them through a co-ordinated marketing campaign, Inverness will maximise this opportunity to be seen as a key player in Scotland's winter festival programme and as a year round destination".

Fiona Hampton of Highland 2007 said of the closing event plans: "The event being planned for 12 January 2008 will be designed to give the city of Inverness a spectacular finale fit to mark the end of what has been an incredibly exciting year for the city and the Highlands. The event will take place early evening and will feature the Kessock Bridge as you have never seen it before!"

The Winter Festival is backed by partners The Highland Council, Eastgate Shopping Centre, Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Eden Court Theatre and Highland 2007.

Eastgate Shoppping Centre centre manager, Jackie Cuddy, said: "We are delighted to be working with local organisations and other businesses in Inverness to maximise the potential of the Festiveinverness Winter Festival. Highland 2007 is all about bringing the spotlight on the Highlands and showing the rest of the world that it is a great place to live and to visit and this festival will demonstrate that Inverness is an attractive destination for visitors throughout the year."