Christmas in Darwin 2019 – Santa photos, Christmas Carols and more

christmas in Darwin 2019

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Christmas in Darwin 2019,  is well and truly coming alive! There is so much festive fun happening around the place over the next few weeks! It is hard to sometimes find and locate all the different events and Christmas happenings so we have rounded them all up for you in one place. Where to get your Santa photos, Christmas Carols, Christmas light displays and much more! Also don’t forget to stay tuned for our much anticipated School holidays blog which will have some events and places doing Christmas crafts and other activities for the kids!

Christmas Carols

Rural Community Carols – Saturday 23rd November

The Rural Community Carols by Candlelight is back for 2019 and will be held at the Bees Creek Primary School (20 Sattler Crescent). Entry is FREE as always! Bring a picnic rug or a chair and come and join an evening of family friendly entertainment and community singing from 5.30pm.

Palmerston Carols – Saturday 30th November

The Palmerston Carols will be held at the Palmerston Recreation Centre for a night of Carols and Christmas cheer hosted by Amy Hetherington, with local performers and school groups singing a variety of festive favourites. There will be kids activities, food stalls and the opportunity to meet Santa in his Grotto between 5-6pm, before the carols commences at 6pm. Bust out your Christmas shirts, join in the fun and let’s spread some Christmas cheer in Palmerston!

City of Darwin Carols by Candlelight – Sunday 1st December

The Christmas in Darwin Association is proud to present the 45th Annual City of Darwin Carols by Candlelight and continuing raising funds for those in need – the 2019 recipients are Variety.

Christmas is just around the corner! It’s time to gather the kids and head to carols for a night of festive cheer, light a candle, and sing along. The Australian Army Band will be performing with many other well-known acts getting everyone in to the festive spirit. Finishing off the night with a fireworks display that could blow Santa’s beard back. Please note this is a cash only event. Gates open at 4:30pm and is gold coin entry. Food and refreshments are available to purchase from the Kiwanis Club. This is a family friendly event so we it is asked that you leave your smokes and alcohol at home.

Darwin City Brass Band – Saturday 14th December

The Darwin City Brass Band will be performing from 10am till 11am, a variety of Christmas carols and songs in the Mall. This is a free community event.

Leanyer Recreation Park – Saturday 14th December

Hosted by Browyn Russell and Helen Richmond, Leanyer Recreation Park will come alive with Carols on Saturday 14th of December from 5.30pm till 9pm. There will be a Sausage sizzle from 5.30pm and Carols will commence at 6pm. Glowsticks will be available and byo rug or chair. If it rains meet at St James Church across the road at 6.30pm.

Carols by the Sea – Sunday 22nd December

As we count down to Christmas, City of Darwin and The Darwin City Brass Brand bring you – ‘Carols by the sea’ Sunday 22 December from 6pm at Nightcliff Foreshore. Join in for what is sure to be a spectacular evening spent along the Nightcliff Foreshore. Enjoy the warmth of the sun as it sets into the horizon and the beautiful oceanic breezes.  BYO picnic blanket and chairs.

INChurch – King of Kings Carols – Sunday 23rd December

Probably the last of the Christmas Carols happening! Christmas is a time of majesty and awe that captures our imagination like no other time of year. If you’re looking to add a bit of majesty to your Christmas experience this year, bring your family and interstate visitors and join them for their special Christmas Eve service. They are hosting this on Tuesday 24th of December at 6pm (50 Waler Rd Marlow Lagoon) and light refreshments will be served afterwards. This service will feature plenty of battery operated candles for the full carols by candlelight experience, as well as cute kids, some fun and a whole lot of awe as they focus on the King of Kings.

Christmas Events for families

santas village

Santa’s Village – Smith Street Mall

Christmas will be everywhere in the Darwin CBD they will have giant Christmas tree in the Mall and the lighting of this tree on Friday 29th November. A spectacular evening of Lighting the Tree – A free family event for all to enjoy. The Smith St Mall festivities will include tantalising food stalls, crafts and the wonderful Darwin Chorale singing all our favourite Christmas tunes! The magical Lighting of the tree will be at 7:30 pm.

Santa’s Village will be happening again in the Mall thanks to City of Darwin from Saturday November 30th till Tuesday 24th December. You will find Santa and his Fun in the parks team in the new Santa Village in the Mall opposite the playground, between 9:30-11am and 11:30-1pm Weekdays and Saturday where you can take your own photo with the Santa and your kids. There will be many festive activities for the kids to participate in, including: face painting, photo booth and arts and crafts and much more!

Fun Bus Christmas Parties – Monday 2nd to Friday 13th December

A Christmas party will be held each morning during the week at all Fun bus indoor venues from 9.30 am till 11.30 am. Santa will arrive at 10 am and please bring a plate of food to share for morning tea. All parents and carers with children up to 5 years are invited.

Fun Bus Indoor locations:

Monday – Bagot Community, Bagot rd Ludmilla

Tuesday & Wednesday – Malak Community Centre, 13 Malak Cres Malak

Thursday & Friday – Lyons Community Centre, 25 Damabila Drive, Lyons

Karama Christmas Family Fun Fair – Saturday 7th December

City of Darwin and Alderman bring you the annual Karama Family Fun Fair. The fair will be held in the Karama Shopping Plaza (Next to the Library) on Saturday 7 December from 2-5 pm. There will be something for everyone – jumping castle, arts and crafts, face painting, photo booth, School Choirs and carols!  The library will also be open and will be getting creative with a craft table, 3D printer and Virtual Reality! See you there!

Christmas for Kids – Marrara Stadium – Sunday 8th December

Marrara Indoor Stadium will come alive with jumping castles, arts and craft, music, face painting, balloon sculptures, magic shows and live performances. Plus there’ll also be a visit from Hyper the Clown, The AMAZING Drumming Monkeys and Santa! And best of all, it’s free!
Get the family together and make sure you come along to Christmas for Kids it kicks off from 9am till 1pm on Sunday 8th of December.

Teen Xmas Party – Monday 9th December

Hosted by Kate Worden MLA: Member for Sanderson, the Teen Xmas party will be held at Darwin Ice Skating Centre from 6pm till 7.30pm. Free family event with pizza and soft drink provided.
Please RSVP for catering purposes on 89996781 or via email Electorate.sanderson@nt.gov.au

gingerbread house

InChurch – FREE Gingerbread house making – Sunday 15th December

On Sunday 15th December there are two sessions of Free gingerbread house making, at 9am (at Casuarina) and 4pm. Bring your kids and come join the sugary fun at our annual Gingerbread House building challenge on the 15th of December.  The event is free but you must register to have a gingerbread kit allocated to you. Click here to register. Can’t wait to see who makes the best house of the day! It could be you..

Harvest Coffee shop Santa letter activity

Santa Letters – Harvest Coffee Shop – Anula

The Harvest Coffee Shop located at Anula shops on Yanyula Drive Anula, will have a letter to Santa activity at their little Coffee Shop, cost of $3. Bring your child in to write a letter to Santa, put it in their Santa mailbox, they will send it off to the North Pole, and they will advise you when your little ones package from Santa arrives (2 days) for collection. The package contains a letter to Santa, a Christmas pencil and a tree ornament made out of your child’s letter. How cute!!

Darwin waterfront lights displays

Darwin Waterfront Christmas Wonderland

The magic of Christmas will come to life every night during December from 7 pm to 10 pm at the Darwin Waterfront. The official launch on Saturday 30 November 2019 at 7pm. Discover a Christmas lighting display amongst the Parklands, similar to a mini ‘Tinsel Town’. Take a stroll through the gingerbread man’s house, standing at almost 4 metres tall and Illuminated in traditional gold, red and green.  Continue to weave along ‘wonderland way’ and under the giant bauble.  Wander around the 5 metre pines and firs draped with tiny lights and embellished with baubles and garland.

Be sure to stop at Santa’s sleigh to watch the reindeer grazing or even make a special wish at the giant star of lights, encased with 1000 globes. Santa himself will make cameo appearances every Saturday in December until Christmas between 7pm and 9pm, so be sure to pay him a visit.

Santa Fun on Wheels – Sunday 22nd December

Join Santa for the City of Darwin Santa Fun on Wheels Tropical Christmas Bike Ride!

This FREE, all ages event will kick off at 4.00pm at the Nightcliff Pool foreshore side. At 5.00pm, riders will form a merry procession along with Nightcliff Foreshore through to Rapid Creek Bridge, finishing at Nightcliff Pool. At the end of the ride, participants can enjoy a refreshing swim in the pool and a range of fun activities, including a jumping castle and photo booth!

Participants are encouraged to don themselves AND their bikes, scooters, skates or trikes with as much tropical Christmas bling, trinkets and cheer as they can muster…prizes will be on offer for those who impress our judges! If you would like to join in the merry procession, register for the City of Darwin ‘Santa Fun on Wheels’ Bike Ride and receive a goodie bag on the day!  Click here to register

Please ensure you bring a helmet along for the ride and a picnic blanket for the Brass Band performing Carols by the sea from 6pm.

Light Up Christmas – C3 Church – Sunday 22nd to Tuesday 24th December

Open to the public as a free Community Event each night 7pm-9pm on Sunday 22nd December, Monday 23rd December and Tuesday 24th Dec 2019! Come join the festive fun as part of your Christmas Lights drive. ALL WELCOME! There will lights display, winter wonderland experience with snow, Santa’s workshop, nativity with live animals (petting zoo), photo booth, music & more!

christmas in Darwin 2019

Darwin and Palmerston lights – Christmas in Darwin 2019

It is always fun at this time of year to take the kids for a drive around the suburbs and check out houses that have Christmas lights and decorations up. I find this Facebook group is great to find locations and places of light displays.

Christmas in Darwin 2019 – Santa photo locations

Casuarina Square – 247 Trower Rd, Casuarina

Enjoy Santa photos at Santa’s magical crystal castle in Casuarina Square. They also have Sensitive Santa and Pet Photography available for bookings. Click here to book your session now. Plus, you can keep the kids entertained in Santa’s waiting room, while you wait for your Christmas photo! Skip the ques and book online

Have your Santa Photos taken in November for your chance to WIN an exclusive Santa visit to your home plus $500 worth of toys! Click here for more info!

Palmerston Shopping Centre – 10 Temple Terrace, Palmerston 

Santa’s Grotto is set up right near Target and they are taking photos now! Unique Santa photos that can be with animals! FREE duplicate prints on every package $25.95 and over before December 6th!

Santa Photo times 10 am till 5 pm – Monday to Thursday, Friday and Saturdays 10 am till 6pm and Sundays 9am till 3pm.

Santa photo palmerston

Gateway NT – 1 Roystonea Avenue, Yarrawonga

Capture your Christmas memories and have your photo taken with Santa at Gateway! Santa will take up residence near the Food Court and is available every day from Saturday 23rd November until Christmas Eve. Click here for Santa Photo times.

Santa’s Village Smith Street Mall

Take your own photo with Santa in Santa’s Village in the Smith Street Mall! Santa will be there Monday to Saturdays (closed Sundays) 9.30 am till 11 am then again 11.30 am till 1 pm.

Santa photo smith street

Harvey Norman Darwin – 644 Stuart Highway Berrimah

Get a free 6×4 Santa photo! Photo times every Saturday and Sunday 11 am till 2 pm from Saturday 23rd November till 22nd December.

Santa photo harvey norman

A big thank you to all the parents who supplied Santa photos for this blog! They are gorgeous!

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and it helped you plan your Christmas in Darwin 2019 with some festive fun for your family. Please leave a comment if you find any other activities or Christmas happenings!

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