Up to 10,000 Hogmanay revellers are expected to turn out to watch the spectacular fire sculptures and large-scale light installations over Inverness Cathedral this evening.
The city has been chosen as one of the key locations to welcome in the Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014.
The Inverness light show will form part of a simultaneous, choreographed “moment” with others in Stirling, Stonehaven and Edinburgh, which will unite Hogmanay events across the country.
The display will illuminate the dark night skies across the city at exactly 8.45pm.
Party-goers in Inverness, along with those in Edinburgh and Stirling will also be treated to a world-class Homecoming element in the Midnight Moment firework displays.
These locations will also enjoy exclusive viewings of an atmospheric short film on the live event screens, featuring world famous Scottish landscapes and event locations for the big year ahead.
Those attending will also be encouraged to join in, for the first time, a country-wide rendition of Auld Lang Syne.
The Hogmanay celebrations in Inverness begin mid-afternoon today with children’s event, The Wee Hot Highland Fling, before comedian Craig Hill takes the stage at the Northern Meeting Park Arena to host a free four-hour show headlined by the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
This kicks off at 8.30pm with a performance by the Inverness-based all-female indie-pop band Dorec-a-belle. Fort William will be celebrating Hogmanay this afternoon in the town’s High Street.
From 1pm until 3pm, a rousing street ceilidh will ensure that the surrounding hills will be alive to the sound of the pipes, accordions, fiddles and songsters.
A street party is taking place in Oban’s Station Square.
The gates open at 7pm and the festivities kick off at 8pm with music from the winners of the town’s Opportunity Knocks competition, Oban High School Traditional School of Music and Amy Leigh Boyce.
Ceol an Aire, The Works and Oban Pipe Band will then take to the stage followed by the headline act for the evening, Face the West.
Comment, Page 28