Aberlour ready for this weekend's "fantastic" Christmas Market celebration
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THIS weekend's Aberlour Christmas Market is to be a "fantastic" festive event, after two community pillars came together to make it happen.
Taking place on Friday, December 1 from 4pm to 8pm, and on Saturday, December 2 from 11am to 3pm, The Square will be transformed into a bustling market packed with quality local stallholders.
For the first time, the Aberlour Community Association has been joined by the Aberlour Parish Church to put on the event, which will feature crafts, hot food and drink, and a raffle.
Building on successful past events, the joint effort was launched "to help it be as successful as it can be", said Minister Andrew Kimmitt, who offered a "huge thanks to the people who have pulled together to make it happen".
"Volunteers have been hugely generous with their time, and I am looking forward to seeing the results," Rev Kimmitt said.
"We are in a really good place to see it come together.
"And I am sure it will all come together."
He added that it was a natural decision for the two groups to come together as a team, as "a lot of us are wearing the two hats simultaneously".
The choice came at a point where: "For one moment, it was looking like there would not be enough volunteers to run the market," he said.
"So, we said: 'If it is going to make the difference between it happening and not happening, then let's do it.'
"It doesn’t really matter who is doing what, just it is getting done.
"We are in a fantastic place with it now."
The Christmas Market will also give the community the chance to support small, fledging businesses and crafters, Rev Kimmitt said.
Punters have visited "fantastic" Aberlour specifically for past Christmas Markets, he added.
Sponsorship and donations from local companies, which Rev Kimmitt said were "too many to mention", made a massive difference to the event coming together.
"We have benefitted hugely from the generosity of businesses locally," he said.
"Just putting the raffle together and giving donations to help things run well.
"Rather than trying to name anyone specifically – a huge thanks to all the local businesses that have made this happen and given donations."
The event is also looking for more volunteers to help out, by emailing: christmasmarket@aberlourcommunity.org
Getting involved could see volunteers selling raffle tickets, taking on traffic control or street marshalling across Friday and Saturday.
And support is also being sought for the essential job of taking down the market on Sunday, December 3.
Stints of as little as two hours would be helpful, according to the community association, and helpers can look forward to tea and coffee.
