WATCH: All set for city's big ceilidh party to welcome in the New Year
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One big bang from a single firework will signal the start of the Highland capital's big Hogmanay hoolie on Sunday.
But the Red Hot Highland Fling – optimistically billed the biggest ceilidh on the planet - promises to be no whimper!
And firework lovers need not be disappointed as there will be a seven-minute display after the bells at midnight courtesy of Fireworks Scotland.
Licensed to a crowd limit of 5000, gates open at 8pm with the live entertainment kicking off at 8.30pm after a mass parade of entertainers and local people arrives at the Northern Meeting Park venue.
The parade itself starts at Falcon Square at 7.30pm and Highland Council's Inverness city manager David Haas expects this march, featuring the Harbinger Drummer Group and and celtic fire theatre exponents PyroCeltica, will be a brilliant way to set the mood for a great evening of music and dancing, led from the stage by the inimitable Bruce MacGregor and Friends.
He said: "The amazing free parade will get things going and the whole atmosphere will be charged by people marching to the event."
Highland Council took the decision to move away from the usual "watching a band" format, and to be more about public participation.
And it could be a great way to learn the complexities of some traditional Scottish dancing as about 15-20 dance masters will be there to guide the less skilled.
Both Mr Haas and event manager Kim Rait, of Black Orchid, were reticent on exact numbers, but said "thousands" of tickets had been sold at £12 per head regardless of age. Booking online is being encouraged (with a 50p booking fee) but if there are tickets spare on the night, entry can be paid for at the gate.
Mr Haas said: "We have been very, very encouraged by sales. Thousands have been sold and there is a constant demand for tickets.
"We absolutely understand the pressure people are under with the cost of living but we are offering value for money and there is a free 30-minute parade.
"We are very excited about the new format, but we felt it prudent to sell tickets to support the Inverness Common Good Fund which is paying for the bulk of the event."
There is a ban on bringing your own alcohol to the licensed event in line with previous years, and pets are discouraged because of the fireworks.
The ceilidh includes Highland Fire, with local lads Calum MacPhail and Sean Cousins from the band Horo, Skipinnish’s Norrie MacIver while Siobhan Miller, three-time winner of the Scots Trad Music Award and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner, will also be on the bill.
There will be instrumental fireworks with Ali Hutton and Ross Ainslie, the driving force behind The Treacherous Orchestra plus Ewan Robertson of Breabach.
All under-18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult and a maximum of two under-18s per adult will be admitted.
The weather forecast is for drizzle and light winds.
