Christmas Tree Lighting

Christmas is coming to Melbourne! Join the celebrations for the official opening of the City of Melbourne’s Christmas Festival for 2023.

Enjoy merry performances, free Christmas cookies and festive face painting before the countdown to the main event – the lighting of the giant 17.5m Christmas Tree for the first time. Experience the magic of this light and sound show.

This is a Christmas Festival event, presented by City of Melbourne with support from the Victorian Government and Fed Square. Christmas Square and the Christmas Projections are lighting up with 100% wind powered Christmas cheer.

Event program:

6.30pm – Festivities commence, with free Christmas cookies and gingerbread men, face-painting and roving entertainment

7pm – Experience a performance of the Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir, and a screening of Beci Orpin’s A Christmas Tale on the Big Screen

7.30pm – DJ performance

8pm – The Huxleys roving performance

8.25pm – Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir performance, with a screening of Beci Orpin’s A Christmas Tale on the Big Screen

8.40pm – Official proceedings commence

8.55pm – The Christmas Tree lights up