Nearly 20,000 people descended on Ness Islands at the weekend to experience a spookily impressive Highland Halloween.
The “forest of frights”-themed event in Inverness proved a hit with families who came from as far and wide as Wick, Fort William, Elgin and Newtonmore.
About 11,000 people attended Highland Council’s organised event on the opening Saturday night and a further 8,000 spectators showed up last evening.
The 1,420-yard circuit around Ness Islands was transformed by projections and illuminations among trees created by the Eden Court Creative, Arts in Motion and Limelight Event Services.
Performers skilfully created plenty of fun and frights with various re-enactments including Hansel and Gretel, a ‘strip the willow’ of dead people and a zombie wedding.
Event organiser Gerry Reynolds said: “The number of people attending this year has just been incredible. We had even more people in costume this year than we have seen in recent years. There were plenty of frights and screams throughout the opening night.
“The reaction to the show put on by Eden Court was amazing. The idea was that as people walk round the track, they keep coming to new scenes and, depending on the age of the people in the crowd, the performers would adjust how scary they were being.”
This year’s two-day Halloween event was moved forward to Saturday after last autumn’s unexpectedly large turnout on the opening Friday night created traffic congestion.
A total of 18,104 spectators arrived to see last year’s opening show on the Friday night. The event collided with busy nights at Inverness leisure centre and Inverness Ice Centre and all available parking spaces were used up.
But Mr Reynolds said yesterday that a new traffic management plan was introduced this year around Bught Park which worked “extremely well.”
He added: “We are really grateful for the people who parked in the city centre and walked to the event because the impact was enormous.
“Ballifeary Community Council also passed on thanks to the public.”