The Gina Spence Productions Annual Christmas Community and Outreach Festival has been hailed a great success.

Held on Court Street on Saturday, the event started a full day and night of free entertainment and activities put on as part of the Road to New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“It went very well,” Ms Spence told The Royal Gazette. “This year we came together with BEDC, Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, and the Uptown Saturday Nights committee.

“Each one of us would usually do something over the course of December. But this year we brought all of our resources together and I think that’s why it was such a great event and so successful, because of the partnership with the Corporation of Hamilton and many other businesses in the area.”

According to Ms Spence, more than 200 food hampers — put together with the help of wholesale distributor BGA — were given out, along with treat bags for children.

More than $1,000 was also raised to help seniors with medical expenses — an initiative run in conjunction with the Phoenix Stores.

The money will be distributed to seniors in the form of gift cards. Ms Spence also reminded the public that Phoenix Stores will “continue to encourage people to make donations to sponsor a senior for a medication card throughout the whole Christmas holidays so we definitely want the community to know they can still sponsor a senior”.

Entertainment included performances by Chewstick, Anointed Steps Dance Ministry School, For God’s Purpose, The Filipino Club 2000, Bermuda African Dance Group and Bermuda Karate Institute.

And there was a children’s area with fun castles, face painting and Santa, who arrived on a fire truck. A performance by Place’s Gombeys topped off an afternoon of family fun.

The festival was followed by a children’s dance competition, a karaoke competition and an old school party as part of the Saturday Uptown Nights celebrations.

Eugene Dean, of the Uptown Cultural Committee, said: “We have developed the Uptown Saturday Nights to go every weekend, in collaboration with other entities to bring the energy and positivity into North Hamilton.

“Through our relationships in the community we started to bring people in. As well as Ms Spence, we’ve been working with the Island Events Group, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, the Corporation of Hamilton and the Chamber of Commerce. After the success of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Northeast Hamilton, they felt confident to partner with us.”

The next event for Uptown Saturday Nights will be on December 17 and the final event for the year will be the Uptown New Year’s Eve Celebration on December 31.

• For more information, to register as a vendor, or to participate in any of the competitions, contact BEDC at 292-5570, e-mail info@bedc.bm or visit the Uptown Bermuda website at www.uptownbermuda.com.