With Christmas just a sleigh-ride away the City of Melbourne has the festive season all wrapped up with a month of free family entertainment throughout the city.
Christmas arrives early on Friday 28 November when the City of Melbourne launches Christmas Square – City Square transformed into a magical Christmas hub in the heart of the city on Swanston Street.
Christmas Square is the ideal place to start and end a Christmas journey in the city. The square stars our beautifully decorated 7.4 metre living tree, a fully landscaped Christmas forest, interactive candy canes, daily sound and light shows, Nativity scene and Christmas buskers. Terraced seating gives parents a place to relax while the children explore the square.
Count down the days until Christmas with our illuminated Advent calendar, and visit Santa’s House to have a free photo with the man himself every day and Friday evenings until 24 December. Santa’s Post Box, supported by City of Melbourne and Australia Post, lets children post Santa a letter with their Christmas wishes.
The heart of Christmas in Melbourne, Christmas Square and Melbourne Town Hall are the perfect places to get into the spirit of the season and set out to explore a trail of free events and decorations throughout the city. Each night from dusk to 11pm, Town Hall steals the show with a stunning digital projection show revealing a unique Christmas tale.
In 2014, the City of Melbourne is unveiling living Christmas trees at The Hub @ Docklands and at the Queen Victoria Market. Other highlights of the City of Melbourne’s Christmas Festival include stunning decorations in the central city, Docklands, North Melbourne and Kensington.
Melbourne is also the home of Christmas shopping and the City of Melbourne invites residents and visitors from Victoria, interstate and overseas to enjoy the best of the city’s shopping and dining experiences.
City of Melbourne 2014 Christmas Festival
Christmas Square
Saturday 29 November to 24 December, City Square
The centre of Melbourne’s Christmas decorations, City Square will be transformed into Christmas Square, a magical forest offering festive fun for families and children. By day, discover nutcracker soldiers, Christmas buskers and free photos with Santa. By night, experience sound and light shows from 9pm to 11pm. It’s all free.
Santa in the City
Saturday 29 November to 24 December, Christmas Square
Children are invited to meet Santa, tell him their Christmas wishes and get a free photo at Christmas Square. Santa is available every day between 10am to midday and 1pm to 3pm, and on Fridays in December, Santa stays up late between 4pm to 7pm. Enjoy Christmas buskers while you wait and make sure you bring your camera for this free activity.
Santa’s Post Box
Presented by City of Melbourne and Australia Post.
Friday 7 November until 19 December, Christmas Square
What would you like for Christmas? Write a letter to Santa and post it in Santa’s Post Box. Include a self- addressed envelope and stamp and get a reply from Santa himself. You can find Santa’s Post Box on the corner of Swanston Street and Collins Street.
Nativity Scene Blessing
Wednesday 3 December, 10.30am, Christmas Square
Witness a blessing of the Nativity scene and listen to Christmas carols sung by the Australian Youth Choir.
Melbourne Town Hall decorations and light projections
28 November to 25 December
By day, Town Hall is gift-wrapped and guarded by 3m-tall toy soldiers. By night, the façade becomes a backdrop for a spellbinding light projection with a festive flavour. Every 15 minutes from dusk until 11pm.
Gingerbread Village by EPICURE
1 to 24 December, Melbourne Town Hall, corner Little Collins and Swanston Street Melbourne Entertain the kids for free and find your favourite Melbourne landmark made out of gingerbread by the award-winning pastry chefs at EPICURE. Make a gold coin donation to Make-A-Wish Australia.
Take a Christmas journey across the city
28 November until 3 January (dates vary)
Experience the festive magic as the city is given a Christmas makeover with decorations in unexpected places from little laneways to major landmarks. Take a break along the way and enjoy some of Melbourne’s renowned cafes, restaurants and bars along the way.
See Jingle Bells on Bourke Street as Melbourne’s retail heart gets into the Christmas spirit. Bring your Christmas shopping list and buy your presents along the way.
Take a walk along Southbank and stop for a romantic moment under the mistletoe as the Southbank Pedestrian Bridge becomes the Mistletoe Kissing Bridge.
Visit Queen Victoria Market Christmas Hub to meet Santa, see the 9.2m Christmas tree and the Dairy Hall wrapped up for Christmas, find secret elves and take part in free kids’ activities.
Enjoy dinner in some of Melbourne’s iconic food hubs including Chinatown and Lygon Street as they come alive with Christmas cheer. Visit Docklands, Kensington and North Melbourne to see a variety of stunning Christmas decorations and join in the spirit of Christmas when the entire city gets wrapped up in the sounds and sights of the season.