Thousands watch Oban light up for Christmas

More than 3,000 people crowded into Oban to join in the town's annual reindeer parade and see the streets light up for Christmas.

 

Lucky Murray Bruce from Lochnell Primary School and Broch Leadbeater from St Columba's Primary School were the envy of the parade, hitching a ride in Santa's sleigh from the Corran Halls down to Station Square.

 

Photographer Kevin McGlynn was out and about snapping pictures for The Oban Times.

 

"attachment_833128" "" "296"] Tegan Irvine from Park Primary School and Caiden Gatward from Kilninver Primary School push the plunger to switch on Oban lights watched by Andrew Spence, CEO of Bid4Oban.

 

"attachment_833137" "" "300"] Santa takes a break from his reindeer parade duties to pose for a photograph
NO_T48_picwithSanta_KM

 

"attachment_833140" "" "300"] Oban Pipe Band marching in the 2022 Oban Reindeer Parade
NO_T48_Obanpipeband

 

"attachment_833146" "" "300"] Santa makes a new four-legged friend - not as big as the reindeer!
NO_T48__Santaandpooch_KM

 

"attachment_833152" "" "300"] The Hamilton family wait in Oban's Station Square to see Santa arrive
NO_T48_Hamiltons_KM

 

Once again, the Cairngorm Reindeer Company provided the antlered-animals who swapped roaming the wilds of the Cairngorm Mountains throughout the year for processing through Oban on Saturday.

 

Tegan Irvine from Park Primary School and Caiden Gatward from Kilninver Primary School had the honours of switching on the festive lights after winning a competition with Oban Rotary Club.

 

Thanks to a major funding push, Oban's new Christmas lights shone out - with a five-metre-high penguin in Station Square proving to be an instant hit with families and children.

 

Event organisers BID4Oban hailed the countdown to Christmas celebration a big success.

 

'This year has seen major improvements in Oban’s Festive Lights. Following years of neglect, a huge investment has been made in improving and rewiring the infrastructure that supports the lights.

 

'All the decorations are new including two projectors that are in place on the Old Church in Argyll Square and one that will project onto the gable end of Sutherland Guest House opposite the Corran Halls.

 

'BID4Oban has also provided new lights for the Oban Hospice Trees outside the Corran Halls. These will be installed soon,' said BID4Oban chief executive Andy Spence.

 

Along with the new lights on the clock tower and extra lights along the shop fronts, the area has been given a festive facelift.

 

BID4Oban also had all the bus shelters in Station Square deep cleaned prior to the switch-on of the lights.

 

 

More than 1,100 metres of lights were strung round the huge tree at The Rockfield Centre. Oban Electrical Services (OES) was the main contractor  supported by retained firefighters from Oban's Scottish Fire and Rescue to undertake this task which was done in their own time.

 

'BID4Oban and the Oban Festive Lights Group have worked throughout the year to deliver a much-improved display and through continued fundraising it is hoped that the display in 2023 will be even better,' added Mr Spence.

 

Special thanks for making the Reindeer Parade and Lights switch on

 

such a success also go to Scottish Sea Farms, DRAX Cruachan, Oban Common Good Fund, The Oban Times, Aggregate Industries, Argyll & Bute Council, The Rotary Club, Lions Club, High School, Dougie Dan, Oban FM, Sea Cadets, Police Scotland, Oban Pipe Band, and others.

 

You can watch the reindeer parade here:

 

[embed][/embed]