Around six thousand people poured into the Bulli Showground, jostling for a bite to eat and a place to sit and soak up the live entertainment.

While the event gave shoppers a chance to grab some last-minute food and gifts, organisers hoped it would also raise vital funds for Illawarra and Shoalhaven charity CareSouth.

CareSouth community relations manager Jennifer Nelson said all money raised would go towards helping children and supporting the charity’s flagship programs into the future.

‘‘We’ve got residential houses where we house young people from 12 to 18 years old and we’re trying to raise money to send them on a proper holiday, on an airplane,’’ Ms Nelson said.

‘‘And we’re always raising money for our Aunties and Uncles program because it is very under-funded. It is such an important early-intervention program ... we need to keep it going.’’

During the evening markets the CareSouth team raffled donated artisan goods and auctioned off the star topping the charity’s Christmas tree.

Community members could also put a bauble on the tree or have a gift wrapped for a gold coin donation.

Ms Nelson said the festive season is a difficult time of year for many of the people CareSouth supports.

‘‘Christmas time isn’t necessarily a happy time for everybody. When you don’t have money and you can’t find children gifts, it makes parents feel bad,’’ she said.

‘‘And then there are the foster kids and it’s a hard time of year for them because they miss mum and dad. It is a time that stirs emotions in general and our clients are no different to that.’’

The evening event put a festive spin on the popular weekly Foragers Markets, which attracted thousands and brought northern suburbs traffic to a grinding halt when it launched in July.