Aberdeen's city centre will be filled with festive cheer as Christmas celebrations return next week.
Aberdeen City Council, in partnership with John Codona’s Pleasure Fairs and Aberdeen Inspired, will officially launch the festive season on Thursday November 14 with the opening of the Christmas Village on Broad Street.
Aberdeen Lord Provost, Dr David Cameron, said: “The Christmas celebrations are a firm favourite each year with visitors and locals and I always look forward to seeing each of the events.
“The festive events taking place are a great way for people to come together and are something that all ages can come together and enjoy.”
The popular open-air ‘Curated in the Quad’ Christmas Market, managed by Charlie House, will return to the quadrangle at Marischal College each weekend (Friday to Sunday) from November 15 to December 22.
The market will showcase a unique line-up each week of locally produced gifts, crafts, food and drink.
In addition, a range of festive activities and events will be taking place across the city throughout the festive period that all ages can enjoy, including:
- Aberdeen’s Christmas Parade and Charlie House Santa Run – Sunday November 17 2024 from 5:15pm on Union Street and Union Terrace
- Christmas Light-up Trail – Thursday November 14 to Tuesday December 31 2024
- Nativity Scene – Monday December 2 2024 to Sunday January 5 2025 in Union Terrace Gardens
- Carol Concerts – Saturday December 14 at the David Welch Winter Gardens, Duthie Park
The Lord Provost will lead the Christmas Parade on its new route due to closures on Union Street Central. The parade will begin as normal at Albyn Place and turn onto Union Terrace before finishing at His Majesty’s Theatre.
The festivities will begin from 5:15pm with the popular Charlie House Santa Run prior to the main parade.
Union Terrace Gardens will be festively lit, featuring a new candy cane lane, and will also feature the Nativity Scene, serving as an important reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. The blessing event will take place on Monday December 2 at 10:30am.
New for this year, the Christmas Light-up Trail, delivered by John Codona’s Pleasure Fairs, will see 12 festive decorations located across the city centre. In collaboration with local charities, each decoration will individually feature charity information and links for welcome donations.
Codona’s operations director, Ian Littlewood, said: “We are extremely excited about the event this year. The new layout and huge number of extra stalls at the Curated in the Quad Christmas Market is going to look spectacular, coupled with great local street food at the village from Big Mannys’ Pizza, We Love Crumble, Tucan and Hot Chip is going to make the Christmas Village bigger and better for 2024.”
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We can’t wait to see Aberdeen at Christmas light up the Granite City with festive magic.
“Not only will the Curated In The Quad festive market offer more stalls and creatives than ever before, it - along with the wider Christmas Village – will pull thousands of people into the city centre. That is a great Christmas present for Aberdeen.”
John Brebner, CEO of Charlie House, said: "Charlie House is grateful to be part of the team bringing Christmas to life in our city centre!
“We’re excited to welcome festive shoppers to Curated in the Quad where they can source locally produced gifts. With twice as many stall holders this year, shoppers are bound to find that perfect gift. Kick starting the annual Christmas Parade with our popular Santa Run is a special highlight for us too – it’s a fabulously festive way to celebrate the countdown to Christmas."
To facilitate the delivery of the Aberdeen Christmas Village, temporary traffic orders will be in place from November 1 2024, until January 10 2025. Full details can be found on the council website.
Disabled parking provision in the area will be located on Queen Street and Littlejohn Street.
Full details of all the events and activities happening over the festive period, including road and traffic restrictions, can be found via the council website: www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/christmas