A New Year's Eve celebration at St. Catherine's Beach will bring in 2010 with Chinese sky lanterns and cannon fire.

Organiser and Former St. George's Mayor E. Michael Jones said that this year he hopes to start new traditions, stepping away from the usual activities held in the town.

"Instead of having 'The Onion' drop, we'll be firing the cannons at the fort at midnight.

"We're also in the process of getting 401 Chinese sky lanterns, and we would like the public to buy them and release them with their families with a wish.

"We think it's pretty exciting."

He also said the beach location is perfect for any daring souls who want to start the new year with a swim, and it helps to make this celebration stand apart from the typical party in the town square.

"Whatever you do in the square, people will compare it to what they did last year. This is going to be something completely different."

The event, sponsored by the Park Hyatt Group, will also host a part of a unique photography contest, which Mr. Jones hopes will help bring families together.

Entrants are asked to submit seven pictures taken in the parish of St. George's in the last seven days of the year, along with a little caption explaining why the picture was taken.

"We have special categories for families of two, families of three and families of more," he said. "One person could take the pictures, one could write the captions.

"Rather then having just one person involved, it encourages the family to photograph together."

Another category is dedicated to pictures taken at St. Catherine's Beach on New Years.

"Between the bonfire, the sky lanterns and the people there should be quite a lot of subject matter to shoot."

Prizes for the contest include weekend stays at local hotels, and all of the entrants will have at least one picture put online for the world to see.

Mr. Jones said that he's also in talks with local galleries to show the pictures on the Island.

If the contest proves successful, Mr. Jones hopes to spread it throughout Bermuda, tackling one parish at a time.

"It doesn't have to just be around New Years," he said. "I wanted to do this the week of July 28 for the Island's 400th anniversary, but I decided to wait until there wasn't as much going on."