Tree Lighting Festivities Underway

Kirkwall’s Christmas tree – a gift from Norway - will be lit up this Saturday (December 2) as part of a series of outdoor tree lighting ceremonies kickstarting the festive season

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.

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 the cathedral will be lit at 6.10pm by the Council Convener Graham Bevan and Mayor of Vestland Kommune Jon Askeland.

A tree lighting ceremony has already taken place in Holm with the Stromness and Stenness ceremonies taking place on Wednesday (29 November) at 5.45pm and 6.30pm respectively.

This will be followed by events in the Hope (6.30pm), Dounby (6.30pm), Finstown (6.30pm), Sanday (7.00pm) and Shapinsay (7.00pm) on Friday 1 December.

In addition to the Kirkwall event on Saturday 2 December, others that will take place on that date are Burray (5.30pm) and Westray (7.00pm) with Orphir (6.00pm) and Rousay (6.30pm) events on Sunday 3 December and Flotta (7.00pm) on Saturday 9 December.