Festive fun by day as tree lights up the night

Published on 20 November 2020

Roving elves, pop-up choirs and dancing reindeer on stilts will provide some festive fun in the city as the lights come on for the Christmas season.

The Mawson Place Christmas tree will bit lit up from tonight (Friday) to signal the official start of Hobart’s festive season.

The 14-metre-tall tree has a fresh look for 2020, with the ageing plastic baubles replaced with more sustainable and durable stainless steel versions, which will reflect the 7500 twinkling LED lights.

Though there will be a little less fanfare for the lights switch-on than in previous years, Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said there was still plenty of opportunity for people to share in the festive cheer.

“The Christmas Tree will be lit up every night until 3 January, providing plenty of opportunity for photos and family outings, even though we don’t have the big switch-on event this year,” Cr Reynolds said.

“From tomorrow, we’ll have roving entertainers bringing some colour and fun into the city, spreading plenty of festive cheer – something we can all use a bit of this year, more than ever!”

This weekend, keep an eye out for a jumping reindeer, stilt-walking Christmas tree and the Waimea Heights Primary School choir around Elizabeth Mall, and the ExitLeft Choir around the CBD and at Mawson Place.

Entertainment will feature every weekend until 17 December, and then daily right up until Christmas Eve, and includes groups that would have participated in the annual Christmas pageant.

The first of five shopping precinct Block Parties will be held at Battery Point next weekend (27 November), featuring demonstrations and displays by local artists, choirs, a live nativity scene and a dog parade.

Other Block Parties will be held at Hobart Midtown, South Hobart, Brisbane Street in Hobart, and at Macquarie Point in the following weeks. Further information on each party available on the City of Hobart’s Facebook page.

The City of Hobart is also supporting, through its grants program, four Community Carols events in December, to be held at St Davids Park, West Hobart (two events) and the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens.

For more information on Christmas in Hobart, visit hobartcity.com.au/Christmas.