The Stonehaven Fireballs Association

If you want a good read about the Fire Festivals of Scotland then I can recomend 'Great Balls of Fire : A Year of Scottish Festivals' by Gary Sutherland (Birlinn). He covers most of the festivals & ceremonies and his style is great.

Something else to look out for is the December issue of Scottish Memories which also covers the fire festivals of Scotland.

In case anyone is concerned about the effect the bad weather might have on the Fireball Ceremony - IT WILL GO AHEAD!

In the one hundred and fifty plus years that the event has been going there is no record of it ever having been cancelled and that's another tradition we intend to keep to!

Sometimes it has been 'adjusted' slightly - blue flashing lights one year, incredibly fierce winds another - but it has always gone ahead. 

See you there!

For those who aren't too keen on the huge mass of spectators at the Fireballs there is an alternative way to see the event.

At the Open Air In The Square there will be a live broadcast from the High Street as the Ceremony is taking place.

It is a way to see the event but also enjoy a cup of coffee and a 'steak in a bun' - the toilets are also much handier!

If you make your way to the beach walk/promenade area for 00.25 then you'll see the main part of the fireworks display at the harbour as well.

For the duration of the Fireball Ceremony some of the piers at the harbour will be closed off on the advice of Grampian Police. People comming to the event are advised not to try and gain access to those piers, they will be policed.

We've finally got the web cam back online again, and not a moment too soon.

As usual, we need plenty marshals to help run our event. With Aberdeen City only staging a firework display we anticipate a greater number of spectators comming to see our Ceremony than usual (so a good idea to come early? Yeh! You can't be TOO early!). So if anyone reading this fancies a Hogmanay with a difference give David Flemming a call 01569 767200, 07733361755 or by david.w.fleming@surescribe.com you will be appreciated!

We can't say that you'll get a inside view of the Fireballs but you'll certainly help us to make the event as good as possible. Marshals are needed in a variety of areas - not just on the High Street.

Marshals are only there to advise the public, help to guide them to where it's best to be, warn them about possible problems or potentially dangerous situations. The police take care of any crowd control problems or disturbences.

First Aid training is an advantage but not essential though a current certificate is required.

Minutes from the public meeting held last month are attached below.

  FIREBALL 2010

The Stonehaven Fireballs Association is hoping for a good clear evening for Hogmanay ‘09/10 as there will be a full moon that night. It should add an extra little piece of magic on what is a very special night. The regular features for the pre-event entertainment to the Fireball Ceremony are planned to happen as usual – the pipe band & the drumming group. Unfortunatly the popular fire poi troupe will not be taking part.           

The Fireball Ceremony for 2009 was an outstanding sucess. The weather was cold, though not freezing, and the wind was light. The crowd was large and enthusiastic. The combination pipe band (Stonehaven & Lathallan School) and the drumming group entertained the spectators from 11.00pm. Brochure and calendar sales/distribution went very well bringing in £2272.00 to help run the whole Hogmanay Festival.

Everything went according to the overall plans. There were no reported problems. The Fireworks went off at exactly the right moment - just after the last Fireball was thrown into the harbour at 00.25. The firework display was up to the standard we have come to expect - stunning!

The thousands of spectators in the harbour area who watched the firework display applauded loudly and long as the last firework died and seemed happy to stand around for quite a while after. However by 1am the whole High Street was swept clean and empty of people, barriers, bottles, plastic glasses, champagne corks, party poppers or cans. Credit must go to the Aberdeenshire Council workforce who come out every year and do so well. 

Below are the names of the 47 swingers that made up the procession in 2009 with the number of times they have taken part before.