The 4th edition of the Coimbatore Shopping Festival will begin here from December 23.

The 10-day consumer fair, with variety entertainment and games for families, will have 400 stalls displaying consumer durables, furniture, textiles, garments, handicrafts, jewellery, fashion accessories, automobiles and automobile accessories, kitchen equipment and home products, Festival Chairman K Vishwanathan told reporters here today.

This festival is organised by Codissia Intec Technology Centre to promote trade and commerce in and around the city and, it could be considered as the most exciting shopping experience and an event of pride for the city, he said. The event starts just before Christmas day and goes on until New Year’s Day, the ideal time for shopping, due to the vacations.

There will be direct participation of artisans from khadi and village industries from across the State and on show will be unique products from other states, he said. To beat the cash crisis, there will be card-swiping facility for moneyless shopping and ATM facility for instant money, he said.

Besides shopping, there are a few special programmes for youngsters, senior citizens, ladies and kids, evening entertainment on all days and multiple eat-outs. The festival will be another tool to promote tourism in Coimbatore and the event will improve trade and the economic wellbeing of our Kongu Region, Vishwanathan said.