Oh, Holy Night! How To Feel The Festive Spirit In BNE City
No Grinches allowed
By Astrid Taemets | 3rd November 2022Whether you’ve been looking forward to this since 1 January or are in complete denial that the end of the year is nigh, Santa will be stuck up the chimney before you know it.
So, sleigh the season, get your festive on, and find out how you can get your Chrissy kicks in Brisbane City.
Get lit
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas when the city comes alive with their magical lights display. Be there (or be square) on 25 November from 6.30pm when the Lord Mayor’s Lighting of the Christmas Tree presented by The Lott takes centre stage alongside a live musical performance of all your fave Christmas tunes. And remember to keep watch on City Hall from 9-24 December for The Lott by Golden Casket City Hall Lights – a vibrant and visual light and audio display of Santa’s reindeers saving Christmas, narrated by Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell, flicks the switch from 7.30pm.
Merry and bright
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a lil’ music, and Brisbane City has you sorted. From 9-24 December you can find local band, Scat, playing Christmas jazz music to soothe your soul at the Christmas Jazz Lounge at the Queen Street Mall stage from 12pm-2.30pm and 5-7.30pm daily. And on 10 December, gather ye round for the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols at the Riverstage from 4pm. Sing along to Chrissy carols and festive favourites performed live by Brisbane’s best entertainers. Keen to warm up your vocals? Grab a $5 ticket from Ticketek from 9am on 21 November, or if you’d rather cosy up on the couch with some eggnog, catch the action on Channel 9 on 16 December.
Presents for all
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a few gifts under the tree, and you’ll find something for everyone this year thanks to Brisbane City’s markets. From 2-3 December, Brisbane Arcade’s Christmas Market is gathering all their designers, makers, and creators for a festive marketplace in the Queen Street Mall. Love a late night shop? Head to King George Square to experience the one and only BrisStyle Twilight Markets, where over 60 local designers will have their handmade goods on display for you to buy, wrapped up with a bow.
Spread joy
Nothing is more sure to make you smile during the festive season than laughter, and with Queen Street Mall playing host to a range of live entertainment at Christmas on Queen, the spirit of Christmas is well and truly in the air! Enjoy a Christmas-inspired pop-up and roaming performances in the mall from 11am-3pm and 4.30-8.30pm during late night trade from 9-24 December.
Do they know it’s Christmas?
At South Bank, they sure do! There’s plenty of ways to join the Christmas cheer with a range of family-friendly events and activities happening from 17-22 December. Book you and yours seats to The South Bank Christmas Show ELFIES! – an all-singing, all-dancing, all-age spectacle of what really happens at the North Pole – through Ticketek. Keep the kids happy at the Holly Jolly Kids lawn – where free fun activities will turn Little Stanley Street into a Yuletide playground – and don’t forget to take a selfie with the man himself at Santa’s Stopover, with free sessions from 4.30pm-9pm. There’s more merry-ness to be had at South Bank than at Santa’s Workshop!
However you plan to celebrate, we wish you and yours a merry Christmas!
For more information on Christmas in Brisbane, head here.
