A winter event which lit up one of the area’s most iconic buildings last year is coming back.
Brodie Illuminated is a magical after-dark experience at the National Trust for Scotland’s Brodie Castle, and offers a programme of dramatic light shows in the garden of the historic property near Forres where its trees, shrubs and plants are bathed in enchanting coloured light.
Developed by the castle team, the event which opens on Wednesday 3 November this year debuted in 2020, and proved so popular that the organisation decided to bring it back – and they’re promising it will be bigger and better.
The external walls of the turreted 16th-century castle will be coloured in the light show, along with the stunning heritage trees in its grounds. A trail through the shrubbery will take visitors along illuminated pathways which will highlight individual plants that may go unnoticed during daytime thanks to careful use of lighting.
Seeing the garden in a new light will inspire visitors to look more closely at the fantastic range and diversity of foliage, flowers, colours, shapes, and sizes of plants within the shrubbery which was originally planted to screen the working areas of the garden, like the walled garden and bothy, from the castle. In the mid-19th century it was quite a formal area, but by the early 20th century it became an informal mix of trees, conifers, and shrubs which people enjoy today.
More lights, more food, more music
This year’s illumination trail has been extended to include the garden’s majestic West Avenue and much more. Together with a new catering area including covered seating, a new retail area and music, this year’s event is shaping up into, yet again, another enjoyable and memorable evening.
Brodie Illuminated is an event for all the family, starts on 3 November and runs Wednesday to Saturday until 27 November from 5pm to 9pm. Ticket booking slots are every half hour from 5pm with the last bookable time being at 8pm. The refreshment area will be serving from 4pm on each event night.
And Christmas shopping too!
James Dean, Operations Manager at Brodie Castle, said: “We are so excited to announce that our popular Brodie Illuminated is being staged for the second year and this year it will be even bigger and better! Thank you to all our supporters and members who made last year’s event such a success – we are building on that to make the 2021 event even more memorable and look forward to welcoming you all back to a place you love.”
There will be tasty refreshments and a new outdoor food area with covered seating. Shoppers will also have the chance to bag some early Christmas presents or a souvenir at the new retail area. For more information and to book tickets, visit https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/the-wonderful-world-of-brodie-illuminated
