This Christmas, Darling Harbour is where it all begins for festive fun, with Santa himself coming to kick off the celebrations at The Harbour Village, fireworks with the hippest Santa Dance Crew, pedal boats and Pixar Putt, whilst the harbour gets decked out with grammable decorations and the 100+ eateries come alive with delicious food.
Christmas Magic takes over at The Harbour Village
Ho-ho-hold onto your Santa hats and gather your little elves for some festive joy at The Harbour Village, every Saturday and Sunday in December (Saturday 2 December to Sunday 24 December) from 10am to 2pm. From crafty fun at Santa’s Workshop to live music from The Beanies and Emily Who, there’s a sleigh-load of fun for everyone. Write letters to Santa, and dance along to Christmas tunes with DJ Dumplings and Jayden Rodrigues. What’s more, a surprise visit from Santa himself awaits!
Sway with Santa under Christmas Fireworks
Watch Cockle Bay’s spectacular 9pm Christmas Fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays, between Saturday 2 December to Saturday 23 December. Join Santa’s Dance Crew as they roam around the harbour from 6pm onwards each Saturday. A DJ Kombi Van will be there to pump up the vibes, and there’ll also be a chance to win special prizes just in time for Christmas.
Pedal Boats & Pixar Putt Mini Golf
Make a pedal-powered splash on Cockle Bay’s pedal boats for a memorable family experience or fun date night. For more outdoor fun, make your way to a mini-golf course inspired by beloved Pixar films at Pixar Putt, a surefire hit for the young and young at heart.
A Feast of Festive Flavours
Darling Harbour is the place to be for foodies this Christmas. Start with the Prawns & Prosecco offer at Pumphouse Sydney, where a bucket of prawns cost $35 and prosecco glasses just $10
when you buy a pedal boat ride. Explore more culinary delights at Crowne Plaza’s Christmas Buffet, Fratelli Fresh’s Christmas Day Feast, and for mid-week fun, don’t miss Cafe del Mar’s Sip and Shuck Thursdays, offering 3 oysters and a bevvy for $15. If you’re looking for a Christmas feast from around the world, enjoy Braza’s Festive Churrasco Extravaganza, or, for vegans, get stuck in at Dopa’s plant-based feast ‘Bondi Don’.
Darling Square will also be kicking off its whimsical ‘Tis The Scrumptious Season’, from Friday 1 December until Wednesday 27 December, where 17 restaurants and cafes will be serving up Wonka-themed dishes and drinks alongside magical acts and entertainment, there’ll also be a four-metre high Wonka Christmas tree-shaped lolly jar for the sweetest Insta’ photos. To complete your Wonkalicious experience, make sure to catch ‘Wonka’ at the recently relaunched IMAX Sydney from Thursday 14 December!
Festive florals & workshops
This Christmas, Darling Quarter is transforming into a living, breathing Christmas gift. The Living Christmas Presents, large-scale vertical garden boxes all wrapped up in red bows will grace the Civic Connector from November 20 to December 30. Post-Christmas, these plants will find new homes in Darling Quarter, continuing to liven up the area with the magic and spirit of Yuletide.
Looking to get craftsy and whip up some cute Christmas decor? The Chinese Garden of Friendship will be hosting an inspiring Festive Floral Wreath Making Workshop on Saturday 2 December, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Guided by expert floral teachers from Peony Story, the one time experience allows guests to create their own enchanting Christmas wreath ($18pp for Friends of the Garden members, and $38pp for non members).
To find out more about the jolly good Christmas offers available in Darling Harbour, visit darlingharbour.com
