THE Christmas season is fast approaching and Tong Garden Centre is gearing up for a weekend of festive fun.

The garden centre will mark the opening of Santa's grotto and its new pop-up Polar Bear Café with a two-day family event, beginning on Saturday, November 17.

A 30-minute journey through the grotto will be offered at a reduced price of £10 and there will be a packed schedule of events, including entertainers, face painting and donkey rides.

Meanwhile, festive 'merry makers' will take to the Christmas Cabaret stage for hourly performances from 11am.

Jo Dales, from the garden centre, said "In addition to the special festive family fun weekend grotto price of £10, all of the children's grotto tickets will be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Tong gift voucher.

"The festive family fun weekend is just the start of Tong's wonderful journey through November and December that includes festive tasting events in the Food Hall every weekend until Christmas."