A family trip into Melbourne this year will provide you with plenty of opportunity to enter into the spirit of Christmas with many events, activities and sights to delight you all.
Melbourne Christmas Festival
Christmas Decorations
New decorations and lights adorn the city this year. You will see decorations suspended along the tram lines on Swanston Street, a “gift wrapped” Melbourne Town Hall , mistletoe at Southbank pedestrian bridge, a 12 days of Christmas display in Market Lane and giant presents on Flinders Street Station. You can even hop on a specially decorated Christmas tram.
Spirit of the Square
Location: Federation Square
Activities:
- The Pines – an installation of 150 Christmas trees with activities:- Lost in the Wood maze, games of hide and seek and secret picnic places
- Free daily music performances by local musicians and community choirs
- Music nights
- Free Christmas movies on the big screen
- Free Family Portraits every Saturday from 10am to 2pm
- Christmas Day Picnic
- Christmas shopping at the Melbourne Design Market Sunday Dec 4th 2011 10am-5pm
- Trees in Your Backyard – free olive trees for you to plant.
You can find out more details on the Fed Square website
Christmas Square (City Square)
City square, 44-86 Swanston Street Melbourne, has been renamed Christmas Square for the festive season. It has been transformed into a lush forest which includes nutcracker soldiers, giant presents, a nativity scene, an interactive story book and Santa is his house. Visit at night to see the forest lit up with hundreds of lights.
Projections
- The Nutcracker story is told through colorful animations projected onto the walls of the State Library of Victoria. The display will be shown until Christmas Day.
- At St Paul’s Cathedral the projections show Christmas reflected through symbols and images representing life in Melbourne.
Myer Melbourne
The Myer Christmas windows, which have been delighting children since 1956, operate from 7.30am-1am daily until Sunday 8th January 2012. This year’s theme is “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. If you are there during store opening hours you can visit Santaland with its free interactive games and activities, a locomotive train ride for smaller children as well as Santa in residence.
Santa’s Christmas Spectacular Wonderland Fun Park
As well as the usual rides and entertainment you can visit Santa’s stable, post a letter to the North Pole and meet the funny Santa’s Elves – 8th – 24th December 2011
Gingerbread Village by Epicure
See a minature village made out of gingerbread, including many Melbourne city buildings you will easily recognize. City Gallery 90-120 Swanston Street 1st December – 24th December, 11am – 6pm. All donations received at the exhibition are going towards the Starlight Wish Granting program.
Scuba Santa – Melbourne Aquarium
Scuba Santa will be diving into the Oceanarium with his sack each day and feeding the animals during the 11am Dive Feed.
Suzuki Night Market 2011
Queen Victoria Market, every Wednesday night, 17:30 – 22:00, until 29 February 2012.
Apart from international food and over 200 stalls selling clothing, arts and crafts, three stages are showcasing live musical acts – more details
Crown’s Christmas Spectacular
The Crown Casino is putting on a Christmas light display in the atrium around its six-storey high Christmas tree. The show will run every 30 minutes from 10.00am until midnight each day until 1 January – more details
The City of Melbourne What’s On website will give you more details of these Christmas Festival events and other Christmas activities around the city.