Aberdeen is set to come alive with some seasonal sparkle this week as crowds of people are expected at the switch-on ceremony for Aberdeen’s Christmas Tree at the Castlegate on Thursday, November 22.
The switch-on ceremony starts at 7pm and is part of a number of events taking place across the evening, and the coming weekend, to mark the beginning of the Christmas in Aberdeen festive line-up.
The switch-on ceremony will be carried out by The Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett and the Deputy Mayor of Stavanger Bjorg Tysdel Moe as the 35-ft Norwegian Fir is a gift every year from Aberdeen’s twin city of Stavanger in Norway.
Once again, Aberdeen Churches Together will bless the tree and give a traditional reading, alongside a musical performance by Cults Academy Vocal Quartet. The Academy Quartet is comprised of pupils (Anna George, Sophie George, Miriam MacDonald and Nommy Soplantila) who have been singing together for the past year and a half under the tuition of Fraser Thomson, a singing instructor with Aberdeen City Music Service.
Aberdeen Lord Provost Barney Crockett said: “The city centre is feeling wonderfully festive now that the Christmas Village and Markets are set up on Broad Street and in Marischal College Quad but the lighting of the Castlegate Christmas Tree is always a firm family favouite on the festive calendar.
“It is a pleasure to switch on the Christmas tree lights with the Deputy Mayor of Stavanger whose city has been so generous in gifting the tree to us; which allows us to recognise the successful partnerships between organisations in Aberdeen and Stavanger that have been cultivated over the years.
I am delighted that we have Aberdeen Churches Together providing the blessing of the tree once again and I’m looking forward to the musical performance by Cults Academy Vocal Quartet.
“This is a wonderful festive occasion and the start of a weekend of exciting events culminating in the Christmas Lights Switch-On Parade on Sunday”.
The lighting of the Castlegate Christmas Tree is the beginning of weekend of festive events, which includes the opening of the Christmas Village, the Christmas in the Quad and Broad St. Markets as well as the Charlie House Santa Fun Run, Christmas Lights Switch-on Parade and the Trinity Centre Reindeer Parade on Sunday, November 25.
Details of the weekend are:
Christmas Tree Switch-On
Thursday, November 22 at 7pm
Aberdeen Christmas Village Markets
Christmas in the Quad (Marischal College)
Weekend 1 – Thursday, November 22 – Sunday, November 25
Thursday, 4pm – 8pm, Friday, 12pm – 6pm, Saturday & Sunday , 11am – 6pm
Additional weekends:
Weekend 2 – Thursday 29 – Sunday, December 2
Weekend 3 – Thursday 6 – Sunday, December 9
Weekend 4 – Thursday 13 – Sunday, December 16
Weekend 5 – Thursday 20 – Sunday, December 23
Broad Street Market (Broad Street)
Thursday 22 November – Monday 31 December
Monday – Friday, 12-8pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 8pm
Trinity Centre Reindeer Parade
Sunday, November 25 – 12pm
Charlie house Santa Fun Run
Sunday, November 25– 5.15pm
Christmas Lights Switch-On Parade
Sunday, November 25 – 5.30pm