On December 12 at 20:00, the central Christmas tree will be lit at First Republic Square, officially opening the city’s “New Year Village,” Tbilisi City Hall announced.

Festive illuminations across the capital will also be switched on the same evening.

According to City Hall, the opening ceremony will feature a theatrical musical performance, acrobatic and dance numbers, and the staging of the final scene from Oscar Wilde’s famous fairy tale “The Star Child.”

The event will involve the Tbilisi City Hall Gymnastics Development Sports Center, the Meko Kvachantiradze Ballet Studio, Dato Potskhishvili’s ensemble Metekhi, Davit Evgenidze and participants of Ranina. Actors Keti Khitiri and Ivane Iantbelidze will join the performance, while Levan Khurtsia and Manika Asatiani will host the event. The show is directed by Nikoloz Haine-Shvelidze, and its concept is based on the capital’s New Year slogan: “A City Full of Kindness.”

City Hall notes that from December 12 to January 7, the New Year Village on First Republic Square will host visitors daily with a gastronomic and entrepreneurial market set among festive decorations and installations. Concerts by musical groups and pop artists will take place throughout the period.

The space will also offer an exhibition-sale, a Christmas market, culinary masterclasses, theatrical performances, an open-air cinema, Kango and Zumba sessions, dance karaoke, as well as children’s zones, workshops, concerts, and various entertainment activities.

The New Year Village will feature an ice skating rink, an amusement park, a New Year City Train, and Santa’s House, where Santa and his elves will greet visitors.

According to City Hall, the “New Year Village” will conclude with a festive program on January 7, Christmas Day, while the ice rink and the capital’s main Christmas tree will remain open until January 14.