Your ultimate cheat sheet for the Xmas in July Festival

Posted on 19 June, 2024

Get ready to deck the halls, the Xmas in July Festival is bringing the magic of winter to life – and it’s happening next weekend.

Running across four days, you’ll be able to jingle your bells with snow falling, mulled wine, kilometres of fairy lights, comfort food, fire pits, concerts, and more. But how can you make the most of it?

Grab your ugly Christmas jumpers, cause it’s time to start planning. Here’s your ultimate cheat sheet.

What is it?

From mulled wine and falling snow to melted cheese (raclette!) stations, real Christmas trees, wooden huts, hot chocolate, mulled wine, Christmas lights and live music, the Xmas in July Festival is all about celebrating the magic of Christmas…in July (or in this case, the end of June).

Inspired by traditional French-European winter Christmas experiences, it’s basically everything you love about a winter Christmas wrapped up into four fun-filled days. And yes, you can toast your own marshmallows.

When is it happening?

The 2022 Festival.

After a tres successful year last year that saw over 60,000 people attending the festival, French Christmas vibes are back for one long weekend of seasonal deliciousness from Thursday 27 until Sunday 30 June.

Offering an array of enchanting experiences that will have you believing we should celebrate Christmas twice, from Christmas shows to concerts, there’s plenty to see and do. But each day looks a little different – here’s when exactly the European-style Christmas market is taking over the town.

• Thursday 4pm – 11pm
• Friday 10am – 11pm
• Saturday: 10am – 11pm.
• Sunday 10am – 8pm
• Low Sensory Hours : 10am to 12 pm

How much does it cost to attend?

Ding-dong, this winter wonderland is free to attend! But if you want to take your experiences to the next level, you will need to book ahead.

What’s happening?

Hold onto your Santa hats, because the real question you should be asking is “what’s not happening?”. Filling all four days with Christmas shows, concerts, markets and mouth-watering food, you’ll need to plan ahead to make the most of the magic – like the 15 live performances that are sure to fill your heart with holiday cheer!

Kicking off on Thursday 27 June with the festive energy of Code Red, you can dance the night away with their high-energy hits and crowd-pleasing tunes.

On Friday 28 June,  the harmonious voices of The Faumuis will serenade you, followed by the swinging sounds of the Spectrum Big Band, which will bring a touch of mistletoe magic with their modern jazz tunes.

Saturday 29 June sees the Nutcracker enchantment of 6th Position’s dazzling dance performance, followed by the distinguished Canberra City Band that’s as merry as Santa’s laugh. And when the sun sets, you can rock around the Christmas tree at their electrifying DJ Party, which will keep the festive spirit alive well into the night.

Sunday 30 June brings a delight of diverse entertainment – starting with the High Kix Christmas Cabaret, followed by The Wildfires lighting up the stage with their blend of country and roots music, followed by the Baker Boys Band, delivering rockin’ renditions of your favourite hits. Make sure to check the program for all timings.

Want to do something a bit more cosy? Take your experience to the next level by booking in book for the Fire Pit Garden. Starting from just $19 per person, the experience includes a glass of mulled wine and unlimited marshmallows for toasting alongside seven of your closest friends. And inside the VIP area, a magnificent circus tent awaits, adorned with rugs and cushions, providing the perfect spot to relax and escape the winter chill.

And then there’s the wood hut artisan market. Providing a treasure trove of lifestyle goods, from snow globes to shimmering jewels, artworks, hand crocheted products, journals, fashion, accessories and more, there’s plenty to explore – and it’s as close to an European style winter Christmas market as you can get.

What can I buy to eat and drink?

Raclette…noms.

Thank Santa Clause that you asked, because honestly they had us drooling at hot peanut butter whisky.

You’ll need to go along to this market hungry, because foodies are in for a treat. Following the success of the last few years, the 2024 Xmas in July Festival will see over 40 pop-up restaurants showcasing the finest French and European cuisine – we’re talking melted cheese stations serving raclette and fondue, delicious gnocchi in creamy mushroom sauce, oversized German hot dogs, lobster rolls, and so much more.

There’s honestly too much to list, but there are some notable highlights that you’ll want to sink your teeth into.

Sheepdog Whiskey is bringing The Sheepdog Van to Canberra and will serve hot cocktail created especially for the Xmas in July Festival, including hot cocktails like the Irish Dawg, featuring the mouth watering peanut butter whiskey we mentioned earlier.

For those with a sweet tooth, Bonne Maman is taking over the chocolate bars, serving up a French thick hot chocolate recipe you can top with a giant torched marshmallow. If that’s not enough, vendors will also be treating your tastebuds to crème brûlée, macarons, éclairs, fairy floss, crepes, waffles, traditional handmade nougat, warm crumbles, rainbow lollipops, and melted chocolate creations…our teeth literally hurt just thinking about it.

And of course, the mulled wine will be flowing. All in the spirit of keeping you warm. Festival? This is more like a feast-tival.

Images supplied.