PICTURE SPECIAL: Festive delights bring cheer to Thurso despite wind and rain on the streets
The foul weather of Saturday kept many folks off Thurso’s streets but it was a different story within the many shops that celebrated Christmas Fun Day.
Shoppers failed to be deterred by the wind and showers, finding solace and warmth within the town centre shops along with a tasty bite and mulled wine.
Winners of the best costumes for the Christmas Fun Day went once again to staff at Jamieson’s Bakery on Rotterdam Street who dressed as characters from the newly released film Wicked. The shop also had the Wizard of Oz playing via video projector on an impromptu screen pinned to a wall at the rear.
Shops along Rotterdam Street and the precinct were packed with happy shoppers filled with festive spirit as well as the odd tipple of mulled wine and other refreshments. Many of the staff were dressed up in colourful Christmas-themed costumes and children, as well as parents, showed obvious delight with the vibrant atmosphere.
A highlight of the festive fun day took place at the Royal British Legion Scotland’s (RBLS) Thurso branch on Riverside Road where a massive indoor craft and food fair took place on both Saturday and Sunday.
Thurso Food and Craft Fair; Artisans North; Caithness Crafts Galore; and Murkle Craft Fair joined forces to host the event which included a Santa’s Grotto hosted by the local RBLS branch.
Penny Irvine, one of the organisers, said: “We had some fantastic feedback from the stallholders and the people who visited the fair over the two days and it would seem that everyone really enjoyed it and thought it was a very successful event.
“It was great that all four craft fairs could work together to bring everyone under one roof and create a great shopping experience for all to enjoy before Christmas.
“Huge thanks from all the organisers to the British Legion Thurso Branch for hosting us, to the Girl Guides for their help, 1st Thurso Boys Brigade for the refreshments on the Sunday, and to all the stallholders and visitors who made it a really wonderful weekend.”
Thurso Food and Craft Fair raised £800 from its table fees throughout the year. It was split between the two organisers with Penny Irvine choosing to donate £400 to Befriending Caithness while Kara Fraser donated £400 to Pennyland Nursery.
Caithness Crafts Galore (CCG) organiser Susan Rennie raised funds from table fees for the Christmas market and from her car boot sales throughout the year. CCG donated £500 to 1st Thurso Boys Brigade, £100 to the Girl Guides and £100 to Thurso’s British Legion branch.
Murkle Craft Fair organiser Janet Gray donated £172.50 from table fees from the Christmas market to Caithness Foodbank.
Artisans North organiser Elaine Rapson-Grant donated £310 from her tables fees for the Christmas market and stallholder donations to MS Society Caithness Branch.
Elaine said: “It’s time to say a huge thank you to all our lovely customers today. As always they came to support our local artisans, confectioners and artists alike. We had such a lovely day of fun and laughter.
“Artisans North raised a total of £310 through table sales and generous donations from our artisans. It was a fantastic amount to be able to present to representative Catherine Cowan, finance volunteer, MS Society Caithness Group.”
Catherine told Artisans North that the MS Society hold a weekly support group in the North Coast Visitors Centre, providing therapies as well as a welcome cuppa and a blether and that the money raised will be used to support this.
Next year Artisans North will be hosting craft fairs and shows at Thurso’s Masonic Lodge from May through to October and money raised throughout this time will be donated to the MS Society Caithness Group.
