Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Christmas has almost arrived in Sydney and with school holidays almost here, it is time to start planning what events and attractions you might ejoy on the lead up to the big day. To help you fill your calendar, we have pulled together some of the best Christmas in Sydney events for families. Which will you choose?

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Sydney Santa Spectacular 

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Sydney santa spectacular will be a complete fun filled extravaganza with lots of rides and a North Pole experience. All this happiness for an affordable flat entry ticket, which will include all rides and activities – and of course free parking!!

Lasting memories of fun, laughter and special ‘family time’ will be remembered by guests long after the event has come to a close. Sydney Santa Spectacular is for every child and the ‘inner-child’ in all of us.

Dates: Saturday 23 November to Thursday 26 December 2019
Cost: from $35.00 each
Where: Panthers Precinct, 123 Mulgoa Rd, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia
Website: Head to the Sydney Santa Spectacular event webpage

Shrek the Halls Auburn Botanic Gardens

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

This Christmas you can take the kids to the Kingdom of Far Far Away with Auburn Botanic Gardens presenting a fairy tale Christmas event: Shrek the Halls

Shrek the Halls includes Christmas carols by local community groups, free rides and Christmas activities, a dazzling Christmas light display, outdoor screening of Shrek the Halls and Shrek Forever After, the characters themselves and some great Shrek activities. 

Dates: Saturday 7 December 2019 | 6.00pm to 10.00pm
Cost: Free for Cumberland residents
Where: Auburn Botanic Gardens, corner of Chiswick and Chisholm Roads, Auburn
Website: Head to Shrek the Halls for full details

Christmas Lights Spectacular

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

If you’re happy to head to the Hunter Valley for an evening, the Christmas Lights Spectacular is an amazing event. This year will be the biggest and most interactive Christmas Lights so far with a number of new displays including a White Christmas Scene, romantic lover’s corner and more sparkly trees. Head to Santa’s Workshop or the ride section for some fun

Dates: starts 8th November 2019 | The gardens are open 7 days a week from 9 am – 5 pm | Daytime: 9am – 4pm Evening: 5:30pm – 10pm|  Closed Christmas Day the 25th of December
Cost: Night passes are $99.00 per family (2a + 2c)
Where: 2090 Broke Road Pokolbin, NSW 2320
Website: For more information and to purchase tickets, head to the Hunter Valley Gardens webpage

Christmas in the City 

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Sydney City is really ramping up the Christmas Cheer this year, kicking off the celebration with Christmas in the City. The event will see Sydney’s city centre morph into a street party zone with roaming entertainers, roller-skating baubles, magicians,  pop-up stages, craft, choirs, lights, decorations and a dancefloor. 

Ask dusk falls, the Martin Place Christmas tree will host a sound and light show every 15 minutes followed by brilliant fireworks that will illuminate Sydney’s spectacular skyline. Kids’ entertainers will be live on the streets to party with you, including Jimmy Giggle, Justine Clarke, SplashDance and The Nannas & The Poppas.

And the most important guest of all will be Santa who will arrive in his reindeer tricycle led sleigh. Santa stockings packed with goodies will be on sale for $5 with proceeds go to our charity partner Surf Life Saving NSW

Did we mention that it is a FREE event?

Dates: Christmas precinct | Pitt Street Mall to Martin Place, Sydney
Cost: FREE
Where: Saturday 23 November 2019 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm
Website: Head to Christmas in the City webpage for all events and details.

Sydney Christmas Children’s Concert

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

If you love Christmas Carols, you will love the Sydney Christmas Children’s Concert which is a FREE family event where you can sing and dance along to some of your favourite carols with The Listies presenting  Justine Clarke, Jimmy Giggle, SplashDance, Sesame Street and Carpe Idiotus!

Kids can enjoy craft activities, play table tennis and giant Jenga with our Christmas elves. Santa stockings jam-packed with goodies will be on sale for $5, with all proceeds going to our charity partner Surf Life Saving NSW.

Dates: Saturday 30 November 2019 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Cost: FREE
Where: Prince Alfred Park | Chalmers Street, Surry Hills
Website: Head to the Sydney Christmas Children’s Concert Webpage for full details

Pyrmont Village Christmas Concert

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

There can never be too many Christmas concerts, right? For the first time ever the City of Sydney will bring a village Christmas Concert to Pyrmont, hosted by Jimmy Giggle with performances by Justine Clarke, The Nannas and The Poppas, Carpe Idiotus and SplashDance.

Kids can enjoy craft activities, table tennis and games with our Christmas elves. Santa stockings jam-packed with goodies will be on sale for $5, with all proceeds going to our charity partner Surf Life Saving NSW.

There will be a community barbeque, ice cream and coffee available to purchase. Santa will make a special guest appearance and the night will end in a glittering fireworks display.

Dates: Saturday 7 December 2019 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Cost: FREE
Where: Pirrama Park | Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Website: Head to the Pyrmont Village Christmas Concert webpage for details

Carols In The Domain

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

This year will be the 37th year celebrating Carols in the Domain in Sydney. Celebrated in the incredible domain adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, around 50,000 parents, children and community members will head to the grounds to sing along to carols with some of Australia’s best performers. Can’t make it? Click over to channel 7 for full coverage. 

Dates: Saturday 21 December 2019
Cost: Outside of the reserved seating section the event is entirely free to patrons and is lawn seating only.
Where: The Domain, St Marys Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
Website: Head to the Carols in the Domain webpage for full details. 

Green Square Christmas Fair

You’re invited to Sydney’s newest village, Green Square, where for the first time the plaza will be transformed into a wonderland of markets with Christmas lights, music and action!

Pick up unique, locally crafted Christmas treats from one the 30 market stalls. Take a load off your feet and enjoy a meal from one of the many food trucks, share a drink at the licensed bar with family, friends and your neighbours.

Kids can sing and dance in the Christmas spirit with DJs Peter Baecker and Lorna Clarkson.

Dates: Saturday 14 December 2019 from 6pm to 10pm
Cost: Free
Where: Green Square plaza | 355 Botany Road, Zetland 
Website: Head to the Green Square Christmas Fair webpage

Christmas Wonderland

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Have a magical time at Christmas Wonderland Sydney this December! The team at Christmas Wonderland love the joy and wonder of Christmas! It’s a time for bringing family and friends together and really treasuring what is most important. Join us as we help your family enjoy and share the spirit of Christmas. The Christmas Wonderland team has created the most wonderful winter wonderland with premium rides, the most talented show team, the friendliest happy elves and much, much more! 

Dates: 18 – 24 December 2019
Cost: $49.00 at the door. Can pre-purchase and save
Where: Crossroads Homemaker Centre Casula
Website: Head to the Christmas Wonderland webpage

Lights of Christmas 

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Featuring choir performances, amazing light projections and a number of food trucks, Lights of Christmas is a gorgeous family evening held at St Marys Cathedral during the lead up to Christmas. 

Dates: Thursday 5 December to Wednesday 25 Sydney 2019 | 5.00 pm – 11.00 pm daily
Cost: FREE
Where: St Marys Cathedral Square, College Street, Sydney 
Website: Head to the Lights of Christmas webpage

The Beanies’ Christmas Spectacular

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

One of our favourite trios, Laura, Mim and Michael Beanie of The Beanies will be bringing Christmas to the Riverside helping the kids bop along to some of their hit songs. 

Dates: 12 December 2019
Cost: $72.00 for a family of four
Where: Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
Website: Head to the Beanies’ Christmas Spectacular webpage

Strathfield Christmas Carols 

The festive event will treat you and your family to a magical day of Christmas performances, a visit from Santa Claus and fun children’s activities!

That’s not all! There will also be a special Movies in the Park Christmas screening of The Grinch (2018) and a spectacular fireworks display to conclude the night.

Dates: Saturday 7 December – Carols from 6pm | The Grinch screening at approx. 8pm | fireworks at approx. 9.45pm
Cost: FREE
Where: Bressington Park, Underwood Rd, Homebush
Website: Head to the Strathfield Christmas Carols Webpage for details

Sydney Fish Markets 36-Hour Seafood Marathon

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Come down to enjoy the fun and frenzy of the annual 36-hour seafood marathon at Sydney Fish Market. Retailers will be staying open for 36 hours from 5am, Monday 23 December right through to 5pm Christmas Eve.

Visit for all you need this festive season, including fresh seafood, premium eats, fresh fruit and veg, gourmet deli produce, last minute kitchenware gifts and so much more.

There will be a special appearance from Santa on Monday the 23rd from 11am – 1pm and on Christmas Eve from 10am – midday to spread plenty of Christmas cheer.

Dates: 23-24 December 2019 | 5:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Where: Sydney Fish Market is located at the water’s edge of Blackwattle Bay at the intersection of Bank Street and Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont. 
Website: Head to Seafood Fish Market Seafood Marathon webpage

Christmas at Darling Harbour

Christmas in Sydney : Events for Families

Darling Harbour is celebrating Christmas with a range of activities this year including giant decorations and light displays, Christmas movies, fireworks, Christmas markets and a dazzling 6-metre high one-of-a-kind Christmas decoration.

Dates: Tuesday 12 November – Wednesday 25 December 2019
Cost: FREE
Where: Darling Harbour | Sydney 
Website: Head to the Darling Harbour Christmas webpage

We will be adding Sydney Christmas events to this webpage as they become known so make sure you check back regularly. 

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More things to do in Sydney with kids

Looking for even MORE things to do in Sydney? Click on our resources below:

Looking for a playground to take the kids? We’ve pulled together the Best Kids Playground in Sydney.

Stretch your holiday budget further with our list of FREE things to do in Sydney with your family. 

The best things to do in Sydney with Kids : We provide you with a plethora of activities that will keep you and your kids busy. From quick trips to overnight experiences, you’ll love this list of goodies!

Looking for a wildlife adventure? We have created the ultimate list of Australian Zoos and Wildlfe Parks for your reference. Want something a little more personal? What about one of Sydney’s Animal Encounter experiences where you can touch, feed and even care for some of Sydney’s zoo and wildlife animals?

Wonderig where to stay in Sydney? We have you covered with a number of hotels perfect for your family. 

Of course, when the sun is out you might like to head to one of Sydney’s Water Parks with the kids or even better, one of Sydney’s Best Beaches!

This one is a little scary, but we know some families love seeking out the unusual. How about one or two of Sydney’s Most Haunted places?

Fruit picking is one of our most favourite family experiences. Check out our Sydney Fruit Picking resource so you can head out this weekend!

Get out of the city this weekend and head for a Farm Stay near Sydney.

Looking for a great gift for someone in Sydney or heading here soon? Check out our Sydney Annual Pass resource.

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