'Largest Hogmanay ceilidh in the world' promised after tweaks to Red Hot Highland Fling in Inverness
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Inverness is set to stage what is believed will be the largest Hogmanay ceilidh on the planet – after Highland Council changed the format for this year's New Year celebration.
Some of Scotland’s top traditional musicians and singers will be welcoming in the New Year and inviting everyone to get involved after changes to the traditional Red Hot Highland Fling in the Northern Meeting Park.
Organisers are hoping that the tweaks will make the party more about participating than just listening to bands
Provost of Inverness, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair explained: “Hogmanay is all about tradition and bringing people together. That is exactly what our Inverness celebrations are all about. We’re going back to the traditional ceilidh where the dances are mixed with guest singers and musicians, and we come together to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next.
Related: Red Hot Highland Fling ticket costs confirmed as £12.50 not £10
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“To ensure your place in the Hogmanay procession and ceilidh get your tickets now before they are snapped up. Everyone is invited to join the procession which will be led by Pyro Celtica and Harbinger Drumming Group who previously led Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations. The procession will end at the Northern Meeting Park.”
Leader of Inverness and area, Councillor Ian Brown, added: “In a change to previous years the event will be more about participating than just listening to bands.
"We want people to really engage with what Hogmanay is all about. We’ve got one of Scotland’s Finest Ceilidh bands, Highland Fire who include local lads Calum MacPhail and Sean Cousins from the band Horo, to keep the dancers moving. Then in those moments when a rest is required, we have the absolute best from Scotland’s traditional music scene.
“Skipinnish’s very own Norrie MacIver will be joining for some songs in both English and Gaelic. We also have three-time winner of the Scots Trad Music Award and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Siobhan Miller to lead us up to the bells.
"Our instrumental fireworks will be provided by multi-award winning duo Ali Hutton and Ross Ainslie who were the driving force behind The Treacherous Orchestra. They’ll be joined by Ewan Robertson from current winners of the ‘Scots Folk Band of the year’ Breabach.”
Tickets are available at: www.highlandwinterfestival.co.uk priced at £12 + booking fee.
The Highland Hogmanay ceilidh is staged in Inverness by Highland Council’s Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group and is supported with funding from the Inverness Common Good Fund.
