Snuggly Christmas jumpers, crackling fires and melted cheese fondue aren’t the usual markers of an Aussie Christmas, but that doesn’t stop most of us dreaming of them. For everyone Down Under who feels cheated out of a wintery Yuletide fest, look no further than this Xmas in July festival going down in Australia’s answer to a freezing European village – Canberra.
Kicking off on Thursday, June 27 and running until Sunday, June 30, ‘Xmas in July 2024’ will bring a gorgeous array of torched marshmallows and French thick hot chocolate prepared with Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate spread, a hot cocktail featuring peanut butter whisky from Sheep Dog, melted French cheeses, more than 40 pop-up French and European food stalls, fire pits, a mulled wine garden, festive shows, magical lights and all-round Christmas market vibes (complete with legit falling 'snow') to Canberra’s Parkes Place lawn. And it's free entry. Joyeux Noël.
Festival-goers can expect to wander through an open-air market peppered with stalls selling creamy mushroom gnocchi, oversized German hot dogs, lobster rolls and (did we mention this?) a lot of cheese, in a whole lot of delicious and different forms. Once you've filled your stomach, make sure to look out for the chalet artisan market, selling handmade lifestyle goods like candles, snow globes, jewels, illustrations and more.
You’ll also get the chance to get properly festive with more than 15 free concerts, including street shows by local Canberra artists, a Nutcracker dance performance, Christmas cabaret DJ sets and a joyful orchestra.
If you like the idea of celebrating Christmas twice in one year, eating your body weight in hot French cheese, twirling beneath fairy lights and basically having a jolly good time, you may want to think about travelling down south for this four-day festival of food, wine and excellent vibes. If there’s one thing for sure, it’s cheaper than booking a trip to Strasbourg.