Christmas in the Adelaide Hills
From the Lights of Lobethal to European-style Christmas markets, you'll find plenty of Christmas spirit and magical experiences in the Adelaide Hills during the festive season.
Germans are known for magical Christmas experiences and with Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement (Hahndorf) and a number of German townships, the Adelaide Hills region is the perfect place for festive fun.
Markets and Family Fun
The Lights of Lobethal Festival has been attracting visitors and locals far and wide to the village of Lobethal to ignite that festive feeling for more than 60 years. Many enjoy this activity as a tradition that marks the start of the Christmas season. In December the largest community Christmas light display in the Southern Hemisphere will light up your hearts. Fill the car with family, friends and Christmas tunes and see the lights in style. Visit the living nativity (two performances nightly) and catch the Christmas pageant parade and Centennial Hall Market.
Each December, Hahndorf transforms into a twinkling Christmas wonderland for the Hahndorf Christmas Village — a festive favourite fast becoming a must-do on every family’s holiday calendar.
From 12–14 December 2025, the village will once again come alive with the sights, sounds and flavours of the season. Wander through the Gathered Market in Alec Johnston Park, filled with South Australian makers, handmade gifts, festive bites and local produce. Keep an eye out for Santa, enjoy street performances and live music, and discover pop-up surprises that fill the village with warmth and cheer.
It’s the perfect time to explore more than 150 local businesses, each dressed in their Christmas best - from boutique shops and wineries to cosy cafés and restaurants serving up seasonal fare.
Whether you’re coming for a day or staying the whole weekend, the Hahndorf Christmas Village is the ultimate way to celebrate the holidays in the Adelaide Hills - and one worth marking on your calendar year after year.
Other highlights include the Gathered Christmas Design Market, Torrens Valley Christmas Market and Mount Pleasant Farmers Market special Christmas Twilight Market.
Just remember that car parking is quite limited on the weekend of the Hahndorf Christmas Village. Access the official parking and public transport guide here, or refer to the snapshot below.
It’s often easier to find a car park on the back streets and walk the short distance to the main street.
Suggestions include Windsor Avenue, English Street and Pine Avenue
Parking is at your own risk
Please be respectful using private car parks, and be mindful of signage stating private and permit parking.
Please do not park on/over yellow lines, this is for safety reasons to ensure people can enter & exit safely.
Consider parking outside of the village and catching the Metro Bus with services running regularly.
Christmas Pageants and Carols
There are many Christmas pageants and carol nights in the towns and villages of the Adelaide Hills and here are just some of the highlights:
The Mount Barker Christmas Pageant and Mount Barker Carols in the Park
The arrival for St. Nicholas in Hahndorf – a Christmas pageant with a German twist
Sinclair’s Gully winery’s Carols Under the Candlebarks at Norton Summit
Christmas Favourites
The Hahndorf Candlemaker in Hahndorf's main street is the place to visit for an enchanting window display of Christmas decorations and traditional German Christmas pyramids. Their range of German folk art is imported all the way from Seiffen, Germany. Learn about the tradition of wood-carving and pick up an ornament or two for the tree!
Head to Melba's Chocolates and Confectionery, an Adelaide Hills institution located in Woodside for special twilight trading hours and activities in the lead-up to Christmas. As well as the incredible range of traditional chocolate and confectionery treats there are free fun activities for the whole family - from face painting, colouring competitions and special demonstrations through to garden games and appearances from Father Christmas. It's worth a trip on its own but combining a visit to Melba’s with the Lights of Lobethal is recommended for a truly magical (and delicious) night out.