Let there be light! Kirkwall and Stromness decor gets the go-ahead

November 13, 2020 at 8:15 am

Although there won’t be an official tree lighting ceremony in Stromness, this year, there will be a tree — plus brand new festive lighting to set the town aglow.

The streets of Kirkwall and Stromness will be exhibiting their usual festive glow this winter, with plans in place to erect the usual Christmas trees in the centre of both towns.

Stromness Community Council has confirmed that though its annual community tree lighting event cannot go ahead, that doesn’t mean that the town will go without a festive fir.

Indeed, the festive spirit in Stromness will be burning even brighter this year, as the community council unveils a brand new set of winter lights.

Phyllis McLaughlin, Stromness Community Council chairwoman, said: “In Stromness we aim to bring some light and sparkle into the dark winter months, particularly after such a difficult year for everyone.

“We hope that our new Christmas lights, along the approach to the town along Ferry Road and John Street, will be in place for the festive season.

“We will still have our Christmas tree at the Pierhead, although, for obvious reasons, the lighting ceremony will not be the usual community event.

“There are also plans for lighting up and decorating windows in the town and round about, to add to the cheery atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, in Norway, the tree for Kirkwall is waiting to be chopped down, before making its journey across the North Sea and onto the Kirk Green.

Since 1983, the Christmas tree outside St Magnus Cathedral has been gifted by Hordaland County in Norway as a mark of a twinning arrangement with Orkney. Earlier this year, Hordaland merged with Sogn og Fjordane, to the north, to form the new larger county of Vestland. Orkney’s consul to Norway, Leslie Burgher, was pleased to confirm this week that Vestland have agreed to continue the tradition and arrangements are being made to ship a tree as normal for the Kirk Green.

All being well it should be in place by the originally intended tree-lighting date of December 5, albeit without the usual concert and events surrounding that date.

Mr Burgher said: “I look forward to seeing this symbol of the ongoing bond between the two countries lighting up the winter evenings outside the cathedral as a symbol of hope and friendship.

“There will not, however, be a tree inside the cathedral tree. This is normally gifted by the Fjaere Historical society in Grimstad to the cathedral congregation. With services currently suspended, the kirk session decided not to have a tree this year, but we hope that the tradition will resume next year.”

Orkney Islands Council has advised that the Kirkwall tree lighting event, which would normally involve the parade of St Lucy, followed by a carol service, is likely to take a much different form this year. OIC will be providing further information, in the coming weeks.

Is your parish or island planning to have a tree or festive lights? If so, please get in touch on newsroom@orcadian.co.uk to share your plans with readers.