History of the Highlands Christmas Shindig

Almost ten years ago, the Highlands Christmas Shindig came about from a chance conversation between two Canoe FM personalities, Mike Jaycock and Lorraine McNeil. Mike had always had a desire to mount a Christmas Pantomime for the highlands, but due the exceedingly high costs of rented scenery and costumes it was not a workable concept. Expressing his disappointment to Lorraine she suggested that

we should have our own homemade version of a holiday season show, a sort of a Shindig if you will.

Lorraine, who was a supporter and donor to Fuel for Warmth, suggested that the show could done in support of their important work in the county. Agreed. The Highlands Christmas Shindig was a go!

Mike enlisted volunteer help from a wonderful group of people associated with Highlands Summer Festival and Highlands Little Theatre. From the very outset, talented local musicians and groups, and caring sponsors, jumped on board to support the event. Dame Beatrice (Mike Jaycock,) Elf (Lorraine McNeil) and Sir Cedric Bridlington ((the third) Peter Jaycock)) were the hosts and helped develop a comic thread that brought the audience into the show and connected them to the talented guests on stage. The show has evolved over the years and new volunteers were introduced to audiences. Victoria Bingham, as Dame Beatrice’s housemaid Penelope, became an important part of the show following the passing of Lorraine McNeil. Now in its tenth year, the Shindig can proudly point to the fund raising success on behalf of Fuel for Warmth as well as the warm applause and laughter that the Shindig has brought to young and older audiences year in and year out. It is a prime example of how volunteers make the world a better place, for everyone.

Written by M. Jaycock and published in the 2023 Shindig program