New Dates - Bumper crowds expected for Inverness Halloween spectacular

31st October 2014

UPDATE 31 October 2014
New dates announced for ghostly gatherings

The Highland Council has announced announce details of new dates for their Homecoming Halloween Shows at Ness Islands which were cancelled earlier this week due to flooding.

After 72 hours of intense activity to secure the services of over 200 performers, lighting specialists and event staff; the Council can now confirm that shows will take place on the evenings of Friday 28 at 7pm and Saturday 29 November at the earlier time of 5pm.

Highland Council's Inverness Events Manager Gerry Reynolds said: "Since we announced that we going to try our very best to turn this week’s cancellation into a postponement, we have received so many messages of encouragement from the parents of disappointed children that we are delighted to have been able to ensure that this particular rain cloud looks likely to have a silver lining.

“Behind the scenes the Eden Court CREATIVE team, who provide the majority of our performers, have been absolute stars and we cannot thank them enough for rescheduling all sorts of things like pantomime rehearsals in order to ensure that these shows can go on. Both shows will last for 2 hours and we have been warned that they are guaranteed to get progressively scarier as the ghosts congregate around Burke and Hare’s Tavern for Unhappy Hour. "

The Inverness Winter Festival will continue on Wednesday 5 November 5 with the annual Civic Bonfire and Fireworks Display. The event will commence with the judging of the Primary School Guy Making Competition sponsored by Johnsson’s Coal at 7.20pm; before Provost Alex Graham steps forward to light the giant Bonfire at 7.30pm. This will be followed by a 20 minute fireworks display staged by the award winning Fireworx Scotland Display Team which is expected to start at approximately 7.55pm.

Council staff will be inspecting Ness Islands over the course of the weekend to determine when it will be safe to reopen it to the public. Bonfire spectators intending to use Ness Islands on Wednesday evening to cross the River Ness to attend the Civic Bonfire and Fireworks Display are asked to check the local media or visit www.highland.gov.uk to confirm that it has been re-opened and is available for use on the night.


UPDATE 28 October 2014
Due to more rain and flooding the even is completely cancelled on both dates.


UPDATE
27 October 2014 - 3.15pm
Earlier today we closed access to Ness Islands in Inverness due to the rising water levels. This means that the Halloween event due to take place on Thursday (30th) has had to be cancelled. However, the session on Friday night has been extended by an hour and will now run from 5.30-8.30pm


The 2014 Inverness Winter Festival commences on Thursday and Friday (30th and 31st October 2014) with a host of Scottish Ghosts taking centre stage at this year's Halloween Spectacular on Ness Islands. 6.00 - 8.00pm

This year's gruesome gathering will feature the creative talents of the Eden Court CREATIVE team, projection specialists Arts in Motion and the Highland Council's Lighting Department. Hidden around the 1300 metre journey that spectators can look forward to making around the Inverness beauty spot will be a record breaking 150 ghosts and ghouls. Families can expect to find 19th century murderers Burke and Hare, the now not-so-Bonny Prince Charlie, Robert the Bruce and his extremely scary spider and Mary Queen of Scots losing her head at regular intervals and numerous surprises.

Councillor Glynis Sinclair, Chair of the Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group said: "We want everybody to dress up really warm and cosy for this event and we would like all the children who are coming in fancy dress to make sure that they have a warm coat and wellington boots underneath their costumes. We have so many wonderful Scottish ghosts joining us this year, but of course the real stars of our show are the people who turn up in the most amazing costumes and make this one of the most enjoyable events of the year."

Admission to the Inverness Common Good fund sponsored event is free and the show will start at 6pm and finish at 8pm each night.

Due to the increasing popularity of this event, drivers are asked to note that there will be traffic restrictions in operation on both nights with a one way system in operation on Bught Road. Parking will be extremely limited around Ness Islands on the night and where possible drivers are asked to allow themselves plenty of time to park considerately away from the site. Spectators can enter Ness Islands by the bridges at Bught Road and Island Bank Road.