Christmas Switch-on lights up SY

The Western Isles Lottery Christmas Lights Switch-on was an event for all the family. With parade floats, market stalls, late night shopping and live music, the town celebrated getting into the Christmas spirit and spreading the festive cheer.
The event started with the Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band performing to warm up the crowd and welcome everyone to the event. From there, the parade began and businesses and individuals showcasing their creations by driving along Cromwell Street to a packed crowd who were waiting for the lights to switch-on.

Before setting off from the Council office car park, the parade was organised into two sections. One lot of lorries, buses and tractors went straight into town, while the others set off along to Melbost, Plasterfield, and along to Newmarket and Newvalley first before heading to Cromwell Street.

Every year, there is a Snow Queen which rides the sleigh into the town and this year it was welovestornoway.com’s journalist Cara Macdonald who wore the talented Lubi Lykan’s creations. Lubi and her partner Chris Rutterford designed this year’s Snow Queen sleigh, where they, along with their little elves, rode into town waving to the crowd and greeting the families attending.

While the day was going smoothly, there was a slight hiccup with the Snow Queen’s sleigh as the tractor taking it over to town had broken down on route, creating an island wide search for another tractor and driver to take it over. Missing out on the start of the parade, it made it for the end of the first section where Snow Queen and the elves on board then greeted everyone watching on with smiles and waves.

Glasgow tribal band Clann an Drumma also performed behind the first lot of parades that arrived. Engaging with the crowd and creating an exciting atmosphere, it counted as a warm-up for their after-party in An Lanntair that took place once the lights switch-on ended. 

Once all the parades had gone through, it was time to pick the winners and runners-up of both parade one and two. Winner of parade one went to Stornoway Skip Hire, with Bethesda being picked for runner-up. Parade two winner went to the Salvation Army with Traigh Mhor Pony Trekking winning runner-up.

There was also the announcement of winning shop window displays, another yearly favourite for shoppers and staff.

Winning the Best Festive Hotel award was the Royal Hotel, the Best Charity Shop Window went to Blytheswood, the Most Original Window went to Harris Tweed Hebrides, and the overall Most Festive went to Influence.

There was a honourable mention made by the Western Isles Lottery to the businesses who made a special effort with their windows.

Janet Patterson, Western Isles Lottery, said: “To our incredible businesses who took us back in time, we loved how you took us back to classic Christmas – Back and Sides and Tech Mobile (can we have the mince pie from the window once it is done?).

“To the Red Cross Charity shop for their Snowman made of books, to Sandwick Bay Candles and Stornoway Distillers for sparkling through their scaffolding, Boshan CIC because we just love Peter Pan and you took us to Neverland, and to The Lewis Ur Bar and Restaurant who have so successfully transformed both the outside and the inside of their premises into a magical Christmas Wonderland.”

The day went very well with happy faces throughout the crowd and a great cheer as the Christmas tree lit up Perceval Square. The team at Western Isles Lottery, parade drivers, and Lubi for her costumes that have people of all ages excited every year, all have achieved another fantastic display in town centre, bringing the community together to kick off the festive season.

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