SCOTLAND’S first Winter Light Night Scotland has been proposed as a way of attracting more visitors to Dundee and kicking off the city’s Christmas celebrations, writes Brian Allison, local government reporter.

As well as literally lighting up the city centre the event could bring in up to 25,000 people and is intended to help re-brand Dundee as One City, Many Discoveries.

At a meeting of the city development committee next week councillors will be asked to give their backing for the light night which is be held on Friday, November 27.

The basic cost will be £50,000, financed from the marketing campaign budget, but further external funding sources are being sought.

City development director Mike Galloway said in a report that some of the world’s major cities stage light nights, including Paris and Toronto.

“In the UK, Liverpool, Leeds and Nottingham have all recently had successful light night events but there has not yet been one in Scotland.”

Mr Galloway said the evening would offer exciting entertainment, both visual and aural, mixing light and music against a backdrop of street markets, performance and entertainment, street art, illuminations, a children’s torchlight procession, heritage walks, story telling, late night shopping and extended opening of the city’s cultural buildings.

The event will take place across the city centre with the focus on the four key areas of the Wellgate, City Square/Overgate, McManus Galleries/Dundee High School, and the Cultural Quarter.

“Further areas throughout the city centre will be animated with famous Dundonian characters, street theatre and children’s activities and buildings and areas of the city will be lit up with projections and coloured lights,” Mr Galloway said.

“The Christmas lights will also be switched on for the first time for the event and the evening will culminate in a firework display to music.”

Mr Galloway said light nights in other cities had shown they were a great way of gaining wide public interest and participation.

“A key element of the programme in each city is that all events are free,” he said.