Monday night the 72nd annual Rotary Carol Festival begins in Moose Jaw. 

Zion Church in downtown Moose Jaw is the site of the music event, which features a wide variety of local talent singing Christmas favourites. 

"We depend a lot on our schools," said Rotary Carol Festival Chairperson Gord Stewart, who is in his 11th year at Chair. "Also church groups, and other private groups that come to perform."

"We have the Zion choir," Stewart continued, "Desperate For Haggis is always an entertaining group (and) we have new this year the 'Zion Bells', a group of about 35 people playing bells.  It takes a lot of coordination to get that going.  Another group that's back for another year is the Salido family."

The Festival runs Monday, Tuesday and Wednesay and begins each night at 7 and will last "about an hour and a half" each night, according to Stewart. "It's top-notch entertainment - the sound of Christmas."

Admission is a free will offering, which Stewart says will be spread among several local charities. 

"The Food Bank, Riverside Mission, Salvation Army, we supply scholarships to all of the high schools in (Moose Jaw), and we have put in a significant amount to Zion Church and the restoration of their dome."