Step into Christmas with Orkney’s tree lighting festivities!

Join communities across Orkney in “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” as we confirm the festive season tree lighting ceremonies for 2024! 

It’s sure to be “Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” as trees are lit at venues throughout the county, beginning with Holm on Saturday 23 November at the Holm Community Centre at 6.30pm. 

This is followed by Stromness and Stenness on Wednesday 27 November at the Stromness Town House at 5.45pm and Stenness Hall at 6.30pm. 

Next up is St Margaret’s Hope, Cromarty Square, and the Finstown foreshore car park with both tree lighting events on Friday 29 November starting at 6.30pm. 

Kirkwall’s Christmas tree – a gift from Norway - will be lit up on Saturday 30 November. As in previous years, the Christmas tree – which will stand on the Kirk Green outside St Magnus Cathedral - has been gifted by the county of Vestland in Norway, the county formed by the merger of Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland, which has gifted the tree for many years. The tree lighting ceremony will be officiated by Convener Graham Bevan, with guest speaker His Excellency Tore Hattrem, Norwegian Ambassador to the UK. 

Vestland County Council has arranged for two Norwegian musicians - Alexander Aga Røynstrand, fiddle, and Berit Opheim, one of Norway`s most renown folk singers - to perform at the Kirkwall event. They will also be visiting the schools doing concerts between Wednesday 27 Nov –and Friday 29 November. 

A second tree - for inside the Cathedral – has been gifted from the town of Grimstad’s Fjaere Kirke. 

The Kirkwall City Pipe Band is due to start playing outside the Cathedral at 4.45pm, followed by the St Lucy procession at 5.00pm. 

A service will then take place inside the Cathedral, following which the tree outside will be lit at 6.10pm. 

Other events on Saturday 30 November include at the Community Hall in Stronsay at 7pm and the Deerness Community Centre from 5.30pm, Kalisgarth, Westray at 7pm; the Rousay Heritage Centre at 5pm and the Burray School Corner at 6pm, with refreshments and music in the Burray Hall thereafter. 

On Sunday 1 December, the trees will be lit at the Orphir Community School at 6pm and the Evie Community School at 4pm followed on Friday 6 December at Dounby Market Green at 6.30pm; and Shapinsay Community School at 7pm. 

Last, but by no means least, are Flotta, lower car park Burnside and Sanday at the island school on Saturday 7 December, both starting at 7pm.