A Deeside castle will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland as it hosts a light and sound extravaganza over five evenings in November.
Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Crathes as the historic landmark hosts the Enchanted Castle.
The theme for this year’s event, organised by GM Events and backed by Petrofac, is As nighttime falls, Crathes comes to light.
Organiser Gerry Muldoon said: “Once again, we are following a totally new trail which will incorporate different skylines, new entertainment, a few surprises along the way from the performance and street theatre artists Silver City, who will be wowing visitors around the trail and ultimately, another unique and magical experience for all of the family.”
Walter Thain, senior vice president, Europe for Petrofac Offshore projects and operations, said: “We have sponsored the Enchanted Castle since its inception at Crathes in 2010.
“It’s becoming a real fixture in the north-east calendar, enticing families into discovering a truly different family experience and delighting people of all ages with the spectacular trails.”
The Enchanted Castle takes place between 5pm and 9.30pm on November 19 through to November 23, with the opening night adults-only.
Adult tickets are £12 with concessions £10 and Under 16s £6 plus booking fee. Entry is free for under fives.
Tickets are on sale now from Aberdeen Box Office and also at the Woodend Barn, Banchory, which can be contacted on 01330 825431 or by e-mail to mail@woodendbarn.co.uk.
Mr Muldoon said he was “confident” of attracting more than the 8,500 visitors who attended last year’s event.
“We have increased visitor numbers year on year as awareness of the event, now in its fourth year, has grown and, knowing what is planned for this time round, I am sure the numbers coming to Crathes will reflect that,” he said.
“That said, in order that visitors have an enjoyable experience, only a limited amount of tickets have been made available for each evening and once these are sold out, no further allocation will be made available.”