Inverness Winter Festival opens with Ness Islands Halloween show

The Inverness Winter Festival opens on Friday (October 29th) with a two day Halloween show that is guaranteed to fill the streets of Inverness with characters from a Rocky Horror Show. Malice in Wonderland, the biggest Halloween Party staged in the Highlands, will take place on Friday 29 October and Saturday 30th October commencing at 6.30pm and will see thousands of spectators heading down to the riverside to enjoy a 1,300 metre wander around Ness Islands. Presented by the creative talents of Eden Court's education team, Arts in Motion and The Highland Council's Lighting Department; the Malice in Wonderland Show is suitable for children of all ages and will feature a host of crazy characters who will do their very best to help Alice discover what happened to the White Rabbit. Old favourites such The Walrus and the Carpenter, Tweedledum and Tweedledee and the Mock Turtle and the Griffin will be joined by new characters such as the Mad Hatter's giant mother Morag and Ochie her mischievous Cheshire Dog and the Mad Hatter's Tea Party is not to be missed. Spectators will be invited to join in a malicious version of "Strictly Come Dancing" where failure to impress the judges could result in the first public executions to be seen in Inverness since 1835. With more than 100 costumed performers and hundreds of spectators dressing up for the occasion, Malice in Wonderland will be the biggest outdoor theatrical event staged in the Highlands this year and hopes are high that this year will see new heights of creativity being reached by the spectators. As the younger vampires, zombies, monsters, creatures and "things" head home to bed; the chances are that Inverness City Centre will be invaded by folk dressed in costumes that will make this a Halloween Weekend to remember. Councillor Roy Pedersen, Chairman of the Inverness Winter Festivals Working Group, said " We are really looking forward to what should be a great start to the 2024 Winter Festival but once again we are appealing to car drivers to park away from the islands and walk along the riverside to the islands. Unfortunately we are unable to offer parking on site due to the wet condition of the sports fields down at the Bught and the co-operation of folk coming to the show is greatly appreciated". Temporary traffic restrictions will be place on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5.30pm on Ness Walk and Bught Road and we would ask everyone coming to the show to set off early". Full details of the 2024 Inverness Winter Festival programme which will end with the Red Hot Highland Fling Hogmanay Concert in Northern Meeting Park Area can be found at www.invernessfestivals.com