St. George's is hoping to attract Christmas shoppers by offering a $500 prize draw at the weekly Christmas festival, which kicks off next Saturday.

The festival, which is now in its second year and runs for the first three Saturdays of December, will feature craft goods, carollers, baked goods, a bouncy castle, and train rides.

There will be a weekly $500 shopping draw and a $1000 travel voucher which will be drawn on New Year's Eve.

The St. George's Foundation, which is running the festival, has organised a series of events to make Christmas even more special.

There will be two late night shopping nights on December 12 and 19, and a retrospective of the art of Chubby Outerbridge running until December 8.

There will be performances by the St. George's Majorettes on December 8, and the Whitney Institute Hand Bell Choir, the Bermuda Institute Steel Pan Band and Salvation Army Band on December 12.

Other seasonal events include the National Trust Christmas Walk on December 7, organ music in St. Peter's Church, switching on of the Christmas Lights, carol singing at St. Peter's Church and the Santa Claus parade on December 16.