A new Christmas tradition is set to blaze forth at Dockyard this weekend when a flick of a switch will bring the story of Robert Louis Stevenson's `Treasure Island' to life in a series of illuminated tableaux.

Organised by the Maritime Marketing Group, sponsored by Belco and strongly supported by Wedco, the Dockyard Illumination will be on view every evening from dusk to dawn until Twelfth Night (January 6).

Besides the `switch on' celebrations of this Saturday, special `promotional' days will also be held on Sundays, December 6, 13 and 20.

This weekend, the festivities will be launched with a special Family Day with supervised entertainment for children "so that parents can do their Christmas shopping at Dockyard,'' says the Maritime Museum's Jacqueline Horsefield, who chairs the Group.

"This is an enterprise that involves the whole of Dockyard and we've had terrific support from everyone, including the restaurants.

"This project is really the brainchild of Kitten Ellison,'' she adds. "We decided that this kind of mini-Blackpool Lights concept would be very popular with visitors and residents, with a strong family orientation.'' Designed, constructed and painted by artists Jennifer Stobo and Will Collieson, the huge cut-out figures relating the classic children's story will wind around Museum Lane in an illuminated circle.

The Marketing Group's secretary and project chairman Kitten Ellison, says that other key buildings will also be lit. "It should be spectacular! We have been building on our successes over the past two years and this much more ambitious project has been made possible, thanks to the generosity of Belco who are sponsoring us for three years and also, Wedco, in terms of encouraging our initiatives and giving us financial guarantees.'' Activities on Saturday kick off at 2.30 p.m. when, for the cost of $10, children may be dropped off at the Clocktower for an afternoon's non-stop entertainment.

Some of the attractions include storytelling with Ruth Thomas, Christmas crafts at the two Arts Centres, open house at the Masterworks gallery, a Punch and Judy show, a nativity puppet show at the Frog and Onion, a magic show at Pirates' Landing and a treasure chest lucky dip at Beethoven's.

Staff at participating restaurants will be in costume. At the Museum there will be a Ferris Wheel, fun castle, a ride on the new Dockyard train and a souvenir photograph taken with Father Christmas in Neptune's Grotto. At 4 p.m.

there will be steel band Christmas music and a family tug o' war, followed by `pirates' rampaging through Dockyard to "storm the blockade''. There will be a candelit procession by a choir of carollers and at 6 p.m. the `Switching On' ceremony will be performed by a special, and as yet, unnamed guest.

Videos of `Treasure Island' will be available, and throughout the week, craftspeople will be giving demonstrations of their work. These will include Jonathan Faulkner at Bermuda Clayworks and many artists at the Arts Centre.

The Maritime Marketing Group was formed two years ago with the purpose, says Mrs. Horsfield, of promoting all Dockyard-related businesses. With Carol West from the Frog and Onion, Audrey Brackstone of the Craft Market and Julie Hastings-Smith on the steering committee, it was felt that "all the enterprises and businesses have to work together to promote overall success.'' Numbers for the children's entertainment are limited, so a reservation (234-3208) is advised. Children who are not officially checked in may still take part, but must be accompanied by an adult.