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Festive treats and sparkling streets: Christmas in Sydney

City of Sydney

find b-roll and images at  https://city.sydney/christmas-media 

Sydney is set to shine bright this Christmas with a feast of free events, markets, choirs, trees and lights bringing festive cheer to the city for more than 4 weeks.

 

From today, Sydney will be filled with the joy, music and magic of Christmas, from carol singers across the city and visits from Santa to a new Christmas fair and the tallest Christmas tree in NSW.

 

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO officially launched Sydney Christmas 2025, saying the program is accessible and inclusive, with something for everyone and all ages.

 

“Christmas in Sydney – it really is the most wonderful time of the year,” the Lord Mayor said.

 

“We’re spending more than $4.3 million on our celebrations and expanding our program so more people than ever can enjoy the fun.

 

"The city comes alive with celebration at Christmas time – we invite everyone to make the most of the festive season with our packed Sydney Christmas program."

 

Highlights of the Sydney Christmas 2025 program include:

 

Santa’s Sydney sleigh ride and tree lighting – Thursday 27 November

 

Festivities begin at 6:30pm at Customs House, Circular Quay, with live DJs spinning festive tunes to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

 

There will be roving performers and dancing elves keeping crowds entertained before a trumpet fanfare on the balcony of Customs House heralds the arrival of Santa and the Lord Mayor.

 

At 8pm, Santa and the Lord Mayor will light the forecourt Christmas tree before making their way in Santa’s sleigh along Pitt Street to Martin Place, led by an 80-piece marching band and elves on tricycle reindeers.

 

Simultaneously at Martin Place, from 6:30pm there will be live DJs, roving entertainers and a 40-member cheer squad performance.

 

Around 8:30pm, the Lord Mayor and Santa will switch on the Martin Place Christmas tree and fireworks will light the night sky over the city.

 

Santa’s sleigh ride with the Lord Mayor will then continue along Pitt Street and Pitt Street Mall before culminating at Sydney Town Hall.

 

Martin Place Christmas tree

 

For more than 50 years the Martin Place Christmas tree has been the centre of Sydney’s yuletide celebrations.

The tallest Christmas tree in the state stands 25 metres tall and features 800 branches dressed with 15,000 native Australian flowers, 330 specially created glossy baubles, 110,000 LEDs and a 3.5 metre colour-changing star.

 

The tree will be illuminated daily from 8pm to midnight until 4 January 2026. Four different light and music shows will take place every 15 minutes.

 

Christmas opening weekend

 

From 12pm to 6pm on Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November, roving entertainers will spread Christmas cheer in Pitt Street Mall and Martin Place.

 

Stop by Santa’s house in Martin Place for a photo opportunity with the jolly man himself.

 

Music and markets will add to the festive ambience in Martin Place.

 

Christmas concerts

 

Five family-friendly concerts will feature live performances by Royston Noell, Mitch Tambo, The Listies and Junkyard Beats, along with festive activities, food trucks and a special visit from Santa.

 

The Christmas concerts run from 5:30pm to 8:30pm and will take place on:

 

• Saturday 29 November – Pirrama Park, Pyrmont
• Sunday 30 November – Turruwul Park, Rosebery
• Saturday 6 December – Bicentennial Park, Glebe
• Sunday 7 December – Reg Bartley Oval, Rushcutters Bay
• Sunday 14 December – Alexandria Park, Alexandria.

The concerts are a celebration for everyone, with accessibility features including Auslan interpreters, sensory and quiet tents, big-screen live captions, accessible toilets and designated pick-up and drop-off points to ensure all visitors feel welcome.

 

Capture the magic of Christmas with a photo with Santa for just a $5 donation to Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT.

 

Surry Hills Christmas Fair

 

On Saturday 13 December, the first Surry Hills Christmas Fair will be held from 11am to 10pm on Crown Street, between Foveaux and Cleveland streets.

 

Local businesses and restaurants will extend onto the street from 11am, with roving performers, Christmas shopping stalls, a pop-up cinema screening Elf and games running from 2:30pm until 10pm.

 

There will be a Santa Paws Dog Parade, with a chance to win awards for the best dressed Christmas pooch, best dog and owner outfit combo and best trick.

 

Christmas markets

 

Explore the festive Martin Place Christmas Markets from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 November, then every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in December until Christmas, from 11am to 9:30pm.

 

Under a glowing canopy of festive lights, discover artisan stalls offering handcrafted gifts and sustainable wares, and indulge in seasonal delicacies, international cuisine and classic holiday treats.

 

Christmas lights

 

Pitt Street Mall will shine bright beneath a canopy of two-metre stars and 75,000 twinkling lights, creating the perfect backdrop for late-night shopping.

 

Martin Place will be draped with 8,000 fairy lights, and across the city centre and local neighbourhoods 11 Christmas trees will bring holiday cheer to every corner.

 

Along George Street, Christmas stars will shimmer atop smart poles, fairy lights will hang under the Queen Victoria Building awning, and the Woolworths building will be wrapped with the largest twinkling curtain in the southern hemisphere, featuring 91,500 LEDs.

 

A variety of large, digital animations depicting the spirit of Christmas in Australia will illuminate the façade of Sydney Town Hall from 8pm to midnight from 27 November to 26 December.

 

The Sydney Culture Walks app is the best guide to see the city’s brightest spots and Sydney’s most magical Christmas displays.

 

Choirs and carollers

 

The joy of Christmas will come to life in the heart of the city with choirs and carollers entertaining shoppers with festive favourites.

 

From 1 to 24 December, choirs will perform live beside the Martin Place Christmas tree every evening from 6pm to 8pm, and at Customs House Square from 16 to 24 December from 6pm to 8pm.

 

There will also be a series of village choir performances from 6pm to 8pm on:

 

• Thursday 4 December – Green Square Plaza, Green Square
• Thursday 11 December – Ellen Lawman Rest Area, Erskineville
• Thursday 18 December – Fitzroy Gardens, Potts Point
• Wednesday 24 December – Collins Street Reserve, Surry Hills.

Variety – The Children’s Charity

 

The City of Sydney’s charity partner for Christmas 2025, Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT – will receive a $5 donation for photos with Santa, sell merchandise, and offer face painting and coloured hair spray for a donation at all five concerts.

 

The national charity provides funding and support to individuals, organisations and hospitals to help improve the lives of children with disabilities and special needs.

 

For full details, dates and timings for the 2025 Sydney Christmas program visit sydneychristmas.com.au.  For more stories, visit City of Sydney News

 

Media contact: Elaine Kelly. Phone 0477 362 550 or email [email protected]

 

For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore contact: [email protected]