Viking raiders will strike into the heart of Highland Perthshire on New Year’s Day as Shetland’s Up Helly Aa Viking Fire Festival Jarl Squad bring their show to Pitlochry.
The town is now host to one of Scotland’s largest New Year’s Day events, with several thousand people gathering to dance and be entertained in the main street.
The visitors from Lerwick will be part of those celebrations, adding something new and special to the fun.
Up Helly Aa refers to any of a variety of fire festivals held in Shetland, held annually in the middle of winter to mark the end of the Yule season.
The festival involves a procession of up to 1,000 guizers in Lerwick and considerably fewer numbers in the more rural festivals, formed into squads that march through the town or village.
Graham Holmes, chairman of the Pitlochry New Year’s Day Street Party Committee, said: “We are delighted to have the Up Helly Aa Viking Fire Festival Jarl Squad at our event.
“We are expecting about 20 to join us and it will add something very special that many people in this part of the world will have not seen before.”
The celebrations begin in earnest at 1pm, with music from the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band signalling the start of a ceilidh.
Jack Delaney’s Ceilidh Band will then take over the entertainment as an anticipated 3,000 revellers take to the High Street.
Local entertainer Eddie Rose will act as compere to ensure everything runs smoothly, while children will be entertained by Silly McBee the clown.
Pitlochry New Year’s Day Street Party is entirely self-funding through donations on the day and by the sale of raffle tickets, with excellent prizes supplied by Pitlochry businesses.
It is organised and run by a committee of five people, supported by many volunteers who give up their time on the day stewarding and selling raffle tickets.
The entertainment continues until 4pm, with the Viking visitors performing from 3pm.
Food and drink including Viking soup, mulled wine and a hog roast will be served by family butcher Macdonald Bros and Pitlochry in Bloom.