The Driver community will welcome families to its annual Christmas event this Saturday.

“It’s a good time for everyone to come out to Driver,” said Terri Johnson, one of the event coordinators.

At the “Christmas in Driver” event, there will be free chili and popcorn provided by the Driver Volunteer Fire Department and the Driver Merchants Association.

There will be a number of activities for all ages, but children will be especially delighted in the crafts and photos with Santa.

Santa will arrive on a Driver Volunteer Fire Department truck and will be available for photos at the Harmony House.

The businesses will be decked out with Christmas lights and décor.

Over the last several years, the event has taken place sporadically. Johnson said the committee hopes to make the event an annual thing.

The event, running from 5 to 8 p.m. in Driver along Kings Highway, will accept donations to benefit the Suffolk Humane Society.

The event also coincides with “Small Business Saturday,” which highlights local small businesses.

The “{Re}Stored” event going on in downtown Suffolk seeks to showcase small businesses in the area.

Deanna Holt, the city’s economic development manager, hopes the event will “bring more traffic.”

Beginning last year, Holt said, the event was started up as an effort to introduce aspiring business owners to storefronts with the temporary use of vacant downtown buildings. It also helps to bring traffic to the downtown area.

On site, there will be an array of jewelry, soaps, food, woodcrafts and much more. In addition to the brick-and-mortar stores downtown, there will be more than 40 temporary vendors, Holt said.

“There’s going to be something for everybody,” Holt said.

The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 26.

Businesses will be set up on the first floor of the Professional Building, at the Oasis Lounge and in a tent that will be placed adjacent to the Professional Building. There will also be vendors lined up along North Main and Washington streets.

There will be complimentary coffee and refreshments, live entertainment and Santa visits.

“We really want people to come and see what we have to offer,” Holt said.