Ross-shire rolls out red carpet for the big event!
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COMMUNITIES across Ross-shire have been rolling out the red carpet to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
A major street party and celebration in the county town of Dingwall on Monday aims to bring the community together on a day when pupils are off school and many are enjoying a holiday off work.
A Dingwall Business Association and Community Council party lunch on the High Street starts at noon.
The High Street will be closed to all traffic with bunting and decorated tables adding to the party atmosphere. Complementary teas andcoffees are being laid on by the DBA from noon until 2pm.
Highlights for the rest of the day include:
- Live music at the Cross from noon with Tin Pan Alley band, followed by a variety of acts throughout the day and evening up until 10pm.
- The Queen’s representative, Lord Lieutenant Janet Bowen will give an address at 3:40pm from the Cross.
- Fun Fair for all ages at Cromartie Car Park with craft, charity and commercial stalls.
- Classic car display with fine examples from each decade of the past sixty years. MacKay’s Garage has also arranged to host a mystery car competition all day on the High Street
- Mini-games and football from 2:30pm at Dingwall Academy.
- 8:30pm - Aerobatic display on the South side of Dingwall near Mitchell Hill. Display pilot Jim McTaggart from North Berwick will carry out what promises to be a dazzling array of manoeuvres with his 200hp Acroduster Sport Biplane. The best vantage points will be the South car park and the West end of the High Street although the aircraft will be visible from most of the town.
- At 9pm, a huge beacon will be lit at Knockbain.
- An all-day barbecue, face painters, hair pleating, hair beading, Strathpeffer Pipe Band, Highland dancers and more are also planned.
Muir of Ord is amongst several other communities entering the spirit of the day.
It’s hosting a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tea party from 10 am to noon in the Village Hall. The free event is being funded by the Highland Council ward discretionary budget.
At 9pm, 1st Muir of Ord Scouts (Senior Section) will be lighting a beacon on Ord Hill with the permission of Mr and Mrs Steven Mackenzie, Auchmore Farm.
On Tuesday, at Cromarty Primary, pupils will be getting involved in a Diamond Jubilee sponsored walk from 1.30pm. Pupils and parents will be dressed up in red, white and blue to celebrate the occasion and raise money for the Parent Council funds.
Waving flags made by the pupils, the whole school will walk through the town.
As previously reported, celebrations have also been held in several other communities including Tain, Tore and Rosemarkie.
Tain, which also has a street party on Monday, has been marking the Diamond Jubilee with a weekend of events.
It was given a £1,000 boost to help fund the festivities by supermarket chain Asda, which will open a branch in the town later in the year.
The royal burgh is also looking forward to its own gala later in the month. The town will be crowning a Gala Queen of its own then, following years of tradition.
We’ll bring you a report and pictures capturing a flavour of the occasion in this week’s Ross-shire Journal.
If you wish to share any pictures you’ve taken, please email us at editor@rsjournal.co.uk
