Hundreds of people have packed a town centre in Moray as part of a new festive initiative.
Buckie and District Community Choir sang Christmas carols in the town’s Cluny Square yesterday to help spread festive cheer among local residents.
Nearly 200 residents joined the group ensemble of more than 100 members to create a joyful atmosphere yesterday afternoon.
Lyric sheets were handed out to onlookers to add to the sound of the vocalists’ renditions of a series of popular Christmas ditties.
Performers dressed as elves for the occasion while others wore Santa hats as they burst into song for the large crowd.
Jane Murray, the choir’s musical director, hopes the festive feeling will encourage people to make the event an annual tradition in the town.
She said: “The Buckie Christmas Kracker is huge, gets the town centre packed and really gets everyone into that spirit but we just thought that that feeling fades away as you go further through the month.
“We just wanted to do something that makes people feel Christmassy, otherwise it can feel like a bit of a non-event.
“The people in Buckie are very supportive so we want to make this a new event for the community.”
Money raised at yesterday’s performance will be donated to the Friends of Buckie Square group, which has transformed Cluny Square’s flower beds this year from empty shells to colourful displays.
Despite only being established five years ago – and with just six members – , the choir, which has singers spread between Elgin and Fordyce, has donated about £10,000 to local causes during that time.
This year, members have helped pay for defibrillators and training in Findochty and Portgordon. Next year, the group aims to do the same for communities in Portknockie and Portessie.
Meanwhile, crowds gathered in Elgin’s Cooper Park on Saturday evening for a similar event where Moray Concert Brass provided the music outside the library.
Carol singers raised £424 on the night to donate to MND Scotland to aid the fight against motor neurone disease.