Melbourne’s Christmas Festival returns for 2022 with its most festive program yet

The hugely popular Christmas Festival returns with a jam-packed program of seasonal favourites and new and exciting events, installations and sites

Melbourne’s much-loved Christmas Festival is returning to the city with a very merry lineup of new attractions – including a themed roller-skating rink and a festive pop-up playground.

Christmas decorations will begin to light up the city from Monday 7 November with hundreds of decorations bringing colour and joy to every corner of Melbourne.

Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.

The iconic 16.5 metre LED Christmas tree at Christmas Square in Fed Square will be back and better than ever, with new lights and sounds to make it even more spectacular.

There are plenty of new and exciting additions to this year’s program, including:

• a Christmas-themed roller-skating rink at Carlton’s Argyle Square, with decorations in the piazza
• a pop-up playground at Queensbridge Square, featuring bell swings, a giant dancefloor and an interactive orchestra
• the ‘How to Make Gravy’ performance, which will see some of Melbourne’s best indie voices takeover Fed Square
• the Christmas Eve Circus Spectacular, bringing the festive cheer to Town Hall

The popular Christmas Projections program will return to Town Hall with new themes and visuals, joined by a new 142-metre projection on Flinders Street station – creating a showstopping moment for those visiting Christmas Square.

This year will also see the return of the String Bean Alley Christmas Night Market at the Queen Victoria Market precinct, the giant Christmas Maze in Docklands, the Christmas Carnival at Birrarung Marr and plenty of other festival favourites.

Returning Christmas Festival favourites:

• Christmas Square in Fed Square – featuring decorations, Santa’s Workshop and a range of free festive activities
• Christmas Projections – lighting up Melbourne Town Hall and an exciting new Flinders Street location
• Christmas Carnival – bringing amusement rides and attractions to Birrarung Marr
• Row Ho Ho – a 27-metre-long floating art installation on the Yarra River
• Elfie Selfie – augmented reality stations scattered across the city
• String Bean Alley Christmas Night Market – bringing the Christmas cheer to the Queen Victoria Market precinct
• Christmas Maze – a full-sized festive maze to explore at Docklands
• Pillars of Light – a Chanukah celebration for all Melburnians
• Koorie Krismas – a First Nations celebration at Fed Square
• Christmas Roller Rink in Carlton
• Christmas Collective grant program – supporting small events across the city, such as Christmas markets, workshops and laneway parties

The launch of the Christmas Festival comes as the iconic Myer Christmas Windows are unveiled in spectacular fashion.

All attractions are free, except the Christmas Eve Circus Spectacular, which is raising money for the Good Giving appeal for Make Room – a City of Melbourne project creating new pathways out of homelessness.

The Christmas Festival will run for four weeks from 25 November to 25 December. For more information, visit What’s On.