Concert chairman Nigel Wood says 800 tickets have been sold so far and hopes to beat last year's figure of 1,048.

The show at the Spa Grand Hall on Saturday December 13 will again be hosted by Look North presenter Harry Gration.

Nigel says: “With the current economic climate we’re delighted with the ticket sales. With the response we’re getting from people from away, we may even beat last year which would be absolutely brilliant.”

Performers include United Schools Choir and accompaniment from Celebration Brass.

This year’s guest artist is singer and actor Stuart Pendred, who has performed at the Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House and shared bills with Sting, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Westlife, Il Divo and Lionel Ritchie.

On TV, he has been in Spooks, London’s Burning, The Bill, Rosemary & Thyme and Casualty. On stage, Stuart has been in productions of Les Misérables, Calamity Jane, Wuthering Heights, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth and the operas Carmen and The Magic Flute.

The proceeds of this year’s Festive Spectacular will go to the Martin House children’s hospice near Tadcaster and the Scarborough branches of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Last year’s went to Advocacy Alliance, the Amicable Society and Scarborough and District Mountain Rescue Team.

Nigel adds: “It’s a high-profile public event and has gathered momentum every year. We’ve given more than £45,000 away to local charities in the last nine years.”