Overview

Christmas in July Canberra is a magical European-inspired winter festival returning to the beautiful Parkes Place West Lawns from 1–5 July 2026. The festival transforms the heart of Canberra into a festive alpine village filled with authentic wooden chalets, twinkling fairy lights, giant nutcrackers, falling snow effects, live music, and cosy winter experiences inspired by traditional European Christmas markets. Entry to the festival is completely free, with a range of optional ticketed experiences available throughout the event.

Open from 4:30pm to 9:30pm on weekdays and from 11:00am on weekends, the festival invites visitors to indulge in European winter comfort food including raclette, fondue, bratwursts, schnitzels, crêpes, waffles, pastries, mulled wine, and hot chocolate. Guests can gather around the famous Fire Pit Garden to roast unlimited marshmallows by the fire while sipping warm mulled wine in a cosy winter atmosphere.

One of the highlights of this year's event is the Fire Pit Cinema experience, where guests can enjoy classic Christmas movies under the stars beside crackling fire pits, creating the ultimate festive winter night out. With both free attractions and premium ticketed experiences, Christmas in July Canberra has become one of the city's most anticipated winter celebrations for families, couples, friends, and food lovers alike.