12 fun-filled spots to mark Christmas in July around the country

Kristie Lau-Adams Kristie Lau-Adams
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Embrace the northern hemisphere’s mulled wine and cheesy fondues with one of Australia’s most extravagant Christmas in July parties.

Ever wonder how hilarious you’d look in a daggy Christmas sweater? It’s time to find out. Christmas in July is an annual Australia-wide event, born out of a desire to recreate the cosy European and American festivities us southern hemispherians are starved of.

Think street markets glittering with fairy lights, boozy hot chocolate and mulled wine, ice-skating in mittens and stuffing yourself senseless with pudding rather than crustaceans.

Here, we round up the most spectacular Christmas in July celebrations to help spread mid-year Yuletide cheer across every corner of the country.

1. Xmas in July Festival, ACT

Take advantage of Canberra’s chill factor with a visit to its Xmas in July Festival , a mammoth four-day tribute to all things Christmas.

Snowlane at the Xmas in July Festival in Canberra
The Xmas in July Festival is a tribute to all things Christmas.

Staged at Parkes Place Lawns, the event is basically a portal into snow-dusted Europe as wood chalets, a “snow"-laced lane of real Christmas trees, firepit sessions, Christmas carollers and artisanal market stalls create a very special vibe.

Snowlane at the Xmas in July Festival in Canberra
The event is basically a portal into snow-dusted Europe.

Don’t miss the mulled wine garden and melting cheese stations where spicy cinnamon wine and our favourite form of dairy in glorious oozy goodness will set the mood further. Entry is free.

Snowlane at the Xmas in July Festival in Canberra
Immerse in the Christmasy vibe.

Dates: 27–30 June
Address: Parkes Place Lawns, King Edward Terrace, Parkes

2. Frosted – A Winter Spectacular, Vic

Got the kids in tow and two hours up your sleeve? Plunge you and your little ones right into a winter wonderland at Frosted – A Winter Spectacular , where two-hour sessions grant you access to a field of artificial snow, cookie decorating, Christmas carolling and storytelling, Christmas arts and crafts, meet and greets with Frosty the Snowman, ice skating, tobogganing and more.

a Christmas snowland landscape at Frosted – A Winter Spectacular, Vic
A snowland fantasy world comes to life in July at Frosted – A Winter Spectacular.

Located in Narre Warren, about a 40-minute drive south-east from Melbourne’s CBD, the Christmas in July event sparks glee no matter your age. Tickets start from $32.50 per person.

Reindeer and young girl at Frosted – A Winter Spectacular
Plunge you and your little ones right into a winter wonderland.

Dates: 21 June – 21 July
Address: Under the Big Top, corner Princess Highway and Brechin Drive, Narre Warren

3. Christmas in July – Food, Wine and a Film Festival, NSW

Toast the silly season with a screening of a Christmas classic at Manly Open Air Cinema on Sydney’s northern beaches. For three days only, the annual event will stage Christmas in July – Food, Wine and a Film Festival , which delivers mulled wine, live music, European-inspired dining and even a Northern Lights display that promises to honour the real thing in sensational style. Films include Elf and Home Alone. Tickets start from $15 per person.

the big screen at the Manly Open Air Cinema
Toast the silly season with a screening of a Christmas classic.

Date: 5–7 July
Address: Manly Oval, Sydney Road and Belgrave Street, Manly

4. Christmas in July Extravaganza, Tas

An actual white Christmas without your passport? Book your spot at Ben Lomond Alpine Resort’s Christmas in July Extravaganza in Tasmania.

the Ben Lomond Alpine Resort festooned with fairy lights at night
Christmas in July Extravaganza will be aglow with fairy lights.

The Ben Lomond Base, at the foot of the mountain, will morph into something out of a fairytale as an artisanal market, Christmas carolling and other live music and workshops including gingerbread house-making, light up the ski destination. Tickets start from $25 per person.

Christmas In July Extravaganza at The Ben Lomond Base
The Ben Lomond Base will morph into something out of a fairytale.

Date: 6 July
Address: Ben Lomond Base, 3420 Blessington Road, Upper Blessington

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5. Christmas in July at The Arbory Bar & Eatery, Vic

A relentless good time right on Melbourne’s Yarra River, at Southbank, The Arbory Bar & Eatery is putting on its much-loved Christmas in July event once again. Joining forces with Four Pillars Gin, so you know the drinks will shine, the team is set to deliver a four-course feast paired with delicious cocktails.

cocktails at Christmas in July, The Arbory Bar & Eatery
Enjoy delicious cocktails at The Arbory.

Expect a whole lot of merriment as hosts talk guests through each of the creative masterstrokes rolling out of the kitchen. Tickets cost $125 per person.

guests enjoying a four-course feast at Christmas in July, The Arbory Bar & Eatery
Expect a whole lot of merriment.

Date: 24 July
Address: The Arbory Bar & Eatery, 1 Flinders Walk, Melbourne

6. Festive High Tea, Qld

Throw your pinkies in the air for the Gold Coast’s Festive High Tea at Aviary Rooftop Bar .

One of the venue’s three Christmas in July events , the lavish dining experience will see towers stacked with fruit mince tarts, Christmas pudding, gingerbread, turkey, cranberry and camembert croissants, mac and cheese croquettes and more.

two glasses of Christmas-inspired cocktail at Aviary Rooftop Bar
Sip a Christmas-inspired cocktail at Aviary Rooftop Bar.

Wash the festivities down with mulled wine and a fancy Christmas-inspired cocktail and you can upgrade your afternoon out with a bonus keepsake mug. Tickets start from $59 per person.

a stack of Christmas desserts at Festive High Tea, Aviary Rooftop Bar
Delight in a festive high tea.

Date: 7 July
Address: Aviary Rooftop Bar at the Southport Sharks Precinct, 5 Melia Court, Southport

7. Christmas in July steam trip, Tas

Get the good times rolling well before December with the West Coast Wilderness Railway in Tasmania’s West Coast.

the Lynchford Express on a Christmas in July steam trip
Embark on a Christmas in July steam trip onboard the Lynchford Express.

Guests are invited to mark Christmas in July onboard the Lynchford Express, a historic steam train, for a 20-minute ride through the lush suburb of Queenstown as stations sparkle thanks to Christmas decorations, and nibbles and mulled wine flow.

serving food onboard the Lynchford Express on a Christmas in July steam trip
The 20-minute train ride comes with drinks and nibbles.

Date: 1–21 July
Address: Driffield Street, Queenstown

8. Christmas in July Dinner and Show, WA

A sucker for Christmas songs any time of the year? Sign up to top-tap to classics like Jingle Bell Rock and Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas at one helluva Christmas in July event in Fremantle.

a look inside the dining of the historical Old Courthouse pub
Go in your wackiest Christmas sweater and you may even win a prize.

Staged at the historical Old Courthouse pub, the Christmas in July Dinner and Show will feature a three-course meal, a performance by Perth jazz singer Earl Cole, who’s committed to belting out a bunch of hits, and mulled wine.

Go in your wackiest Christmas sweater and you may even win a prize. Tickets cost $85 per person.

a long table dinner setup at Christmas in July Dinner and Show, WA
Enjoy a three-course Christmas feast.

Date: 20 July
Address: Old Courthouse, 45 Henderson Street, Fremantle

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9. Christmas in July at SkyCity, SA

Swap the dorky sweater for your finest Black Tie threads at Adelaide’s Christmas in July at SkyCity event. Over four hours, you’ll be treated to sensational ear candy thanks to a chamber ensemble performance from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, while a seafood station, two-course sit-down meal, dessert station and free flowing drinks will keep spirits soaring.

members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra playing the violin
Catch a erformance from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets cost $199 per person and 20 per cent of ticket sales will be donated to the Childhood Cancer Association, the charity partner for this event.

Christmas in July at SkyCity, SA
Twenty per cent of ticket sales will be donated to the Childhood Cancer Association.

Date: 19 July
Address: SkyCity Adelaide Ballroom, 25 North Terrace, Adelaide

10. Christmas in July at The Greens, NSW

Grab your favourites and make the most of The Greens’ Christmas in July festivities in Sydney’s North Sydney. Sure, it’s yet another pub getting into the theme, but this stellar destination is also offering DIY S’mores boxes to heat over firepits during its month-long celebration.

a crowded venue during the Christmas in July event at The Greens, NSW
Join The Greens’ Christmas in July festivities.

If you’ve got a group of four or more, we recommend booking the two or three-course set menu from $45 per person, which includes a drink on arrival, bon bons at your table and a traditional Christmas dinner.

an al fresco seating area at The Greens, NSW
Sink into a traditional Christmas dinner in a relaxed open-air setting.

Date: 1–31 July
Address: The Greens, 50 Ridge Street, North Sydney

11. Yulefest, NSW

The Aussie tradition of Christmas in July originated at Hotel Mountain Heritage in NSW’s Blue Mountains, so the story goes. According to staff, a group of Irish travellers visited the hotel in the 80s and convinced one of the managers to put on a Christmas dinner in July.

the fireplace inside Hotel Mountain Heritage, Blue Mountains
Get cosy by the fireplace at Hotel Mountain Heritage.

The tradition, now known as Yulefest , has continued every year beyond as the Blue Mountains community comes together for various events. It’s arguably best marked every Saturday night during the month at this hotel where you can expect a seven-course degustation, live performances and even a visit from Santa. Prices start from $180 per adult.

an aerial view of Hotel Mountain Heritage, Blue Mountains
Take in the crisp air of the Blue Mountains.

Dates: Saturday 6, 13, 20 and 27 July
Address: Hotel Mountain Heritage, 6/10 Apex Street, Katoomba

12. Christmas in July cruise, SA

Ready for something extraordinary? Jump onboard a Christmas in July cruise of the Murray River to spy some of South Australia’s most wonderful sights. You’ll spend three nights on the Murray Princess where traditional Christmas lunches, dinners and sweets will be served, carols will be sung, performances will dial up festivities and pitstops at destinations including Hahndorf, famed for its German roots, will delight.

Opt in to further nights afloat if you’re a Christmas superfan (or just can’t get enough of cruising). Prices start from $1299 per person, twin share, for three nights.

Date: Various Mondays and Fridays in July, so check the website for specific dates
Address: Departing from Mannum, on the west bank of the Murray River, SA

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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Farm fresh produce to a trail of lights: the ultimate guide to Mildura

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
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    The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

    From the moment you arrive in Mildura , the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

    Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura.
    Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

    Taste Mildura’s produce

    It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

    Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey . Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed ’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

    Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers , a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

    Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

    Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

    Hatted dining & Italian history

    Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

    To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s . Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

    Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel.
    Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

    Discover a thriving culture scene

    The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

    The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

    Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project . Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

    Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

    Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery.
    Find culture around every corner.

    Wonder at ancient landscapes

    The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

    The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

    Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

    Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park . Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

    Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity.
    Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

    Meet your home away from home

    On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

    Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama . A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

    When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats . Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

    A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura.
    Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

    Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com .