The holiday season can be a very expensive time for families, and finding affordable activities and outings can be difficult, so we’ve put together some ideas for free and cheap ways of getting into the festive spirit, and getting out and about these holidays.
Pageants are a great day out, and they’re free! Some have already been, including the Adelaide Christmas Pageant, but there are still some smaller and still very fun ones coming up, including; Blackwood (6 Dec), Mt Barker (7 Dec), Reynella (13 Dec) and Stirling (1 Dec). Check your local area to see if you have a pageant happening close by.
Carols are another fun and family friendly Christmas tradition, and the Carols in the Square (5 Dec, Whitmore Square) is always a treat. Many local councils and community groups also hold free candle-lit carol events; Semaphore (15 Dec), Playford (7 Dec) Mt Barker (7 Dec), Stepney (6 Dec), Adelaide Uni (3 Dec) and Noarlunga (15 Dec) just to name a few.
There’s always the option of a BBQ in the Adelaide Parklands if you want something to do with friends and family. There’s 49 free barbecues dotted all throughout the park lands, all on this map.
In the city, Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga is lit up every night with Christmas Lights Festive Nights 2019. Watch the huge Christmas tree light up, enjoy free Santa visits, live music, carols and on Friday nights, watch Christmas movies. Christmas on King William Road (7 Dec) is also worth a visit, with its free face painting (always popular with kids) and Santa visits.
If you want to venture out of the City, you could take a drive up to the Adelaide Hills to see the spectacular Lights of Lobethal (8-29 Dec), visit the bustling Hahndorf Christkindl Markt (13 to 15 Dec) to enjoy the atmosphere, do some last minute Christmas shopping and watch the nativity play and carols (for $3 you can buy a candle and join in).
Decorators will love the Christmas tree decorations at the Blackwood Festival of Christmas Trees (7 to 8 Dec), which has free entry. Alternatively the Willunga Christmas Tree Festival (30 Nov – 1 Dec) costs $3 entry for adults and is free for kids.
Art-lovers should pop by the Box Factory Community Centre, for a free exhibition of Christmas themed artwork (Mon-Fri 4-7pm), while those with their own creative flair could enter Adelaide City colouring in competition, edible gifts workshop (3 Dec, free) or a wreath making workshop ($10, 29 Nov, North Adelaide). Music lovers, on the other hand, could consider attending the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Gala Concert ($15, 8 Dec, Adelaide), though this one probably isn’t ideal for some small children.
The Salisbury Christmas Family Fun Day (30 Nov), is great if you live up North, and has free face painting and balloon animals among its other festive delights. Santa’s Magical Show ($10, Noarlunga) is another crowd favourite, this time in the South, with letters to Santa, balloon animals, and Christmas treats.
Altogether, there is plenty to get up to this festive season, without breaking your budget.