Sydney Lights Up With $4.3 Million Christmas Program

Sydney residents can expect to see the city soon decked out in lights, with more than four weeks of free concerts, markets, choirs, and late-night events as part of the Sydney Christmas 2025 program, taking place from late November through Christmas. The program is designed to be accessible and inclusive, with activities for all ages.

“We’re spending more than $4.3 million on our celebrations and expanding our program so more people than ever can enjoy the fun,” said Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO.

The program’s season kicks off on Thursday, 27 November, with festivities beginning at Customs House, featuring DJs, roving performers, and dancing elves, as well as a tree lighting ceremony by Santa and the Lord Mayor. That’s followed by a sleigh ride up Pitt Street to Martin Place.

The two will be backed by an 80-piece marching band, elves on tricycle reindeer, and a 40-person cheer squad, before fireworks light up the night sky.

Waiting for Santa and Lord Mayor in Martin Place is a 25-metre Christmas tree covered in 15,000 native flowers, 330 baubles and 110,000 LEDs, topped with a 3.5-metre colour-changing star. Every night until 4 January 2026, it’ll run rotating light-and-music shows from 8 pm to 12 am. 

The opening weekend, taking place from 28 to 30 November, turns Pitt Street Mall and Martin Place into a Christmas strip, with roving performers, live music, and Santa’s house set up in the city for photos.

Martin Place Markets, a Surry Hills Christmas fair and costume event for dogs

Martin Place Christmas Markets will be illuminated by festive lights from 27 to 30 November, and then every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in December until Christmas. Attendees can expect locally made, sustainable presents and a mix of festive treats and global street food. 

In addition to the Martin Place Markets, Surry Hills is getting its own big moment with the first Surry Hills Christmas Fair on Saturday, 13 December. Crown Street will close between Foveaux and Cleveland, with local businesses spilling onto the road, games, a pop-up screening of Elf, and a Santa Paws dog parade for costumed dogs.

The City of Sydney is also taking Christmas into the suburbs with five free concerts in Pyrmont, Rosebery, Glebe, Rushcutters Bay, and Alexandria between 29 November and 14 December. 

Concerts and the city’s accessibility efforts

Each concert will feature food trucks, kids’ activities, live music, and a special appearance by Santa. Performers include Royston Noell, Mitch Tambo, The Listies, and Junkyard Beats.

All concerts are equipped with Auslan interpreters, quiet and sensory tents, on-screen captions, accessible toilets, and dedicated pick-up/drop-off zones, ensuring that people with disabilities or access needs are not excluded. $5 photos with Santa will be available, with the proceeds going to Variety, the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT. The charity’s volunteers will be selling merchandise and offering face painting and coloured hair spray for donations.

The CBD is also getting fully lit up. Pitt Street Mall will be adorned with a ceiling of two-metre stars and about 75,000 lights, while Martin Place will feature around 8,000 LEDs. Additionally, 11 Christmas trees will be scattered throughout the city centre and village hubs. The Woolworths building will feature the largest twinkling light curtain in the Southern Hemisphere. It will feature nearly 92,000 LEDs around itself.

Nightly choirs

Choirs will sing next to the Martin Place tree every evening from 1 to 24 December, with extra carols at Customs House Square from 16 to 24 December. Smaller village choirs will pop up in Green Square, Erskineville, Potts Point, and Surry Hills on selected nights.

The Sydney Culture Walks app is recommended as a guide for guests to explore all things Christmas-related in the city.

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

For more information about dates and times, visit the City of Sydney’s official website.