Frequently Asked Questions

The next A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant will be held on November 2025, the exact date and time is TBC.

The parade usually starts on the corner of the Esplanade and Knuckey  street. Participants will drive, march, walk and dance down Knuckey and turn right on into Cavenagh Street, then they’ll head right down Bennett Street (this is the main stage area) and depart from Herbert Street! 

You can park at the following car parks below:

• West Lane Carpark 

• State Square Carpark  

• Fort Hill (Darwin Waterfront) 

• Civic Centre 

• Nichols Place Carpark 

• Dragonfly Carpark 

You can also park at available on-street parking spaces outside of the pageant route.

The best place to watch the parade is on one of the key streets the route passes (Knuckey, Cavenagh and Bennett Street).  

Knuckey Street is perfect if you’re bringing smaller children, as there will be activities and food trucks set up in Raintree and Tamarind Park. 

Cavenagh Street is perfect if you are planning on bringing your own chairs and rugs to really settle in and watch the pageant. Entertainers will also be roaming up and down Cavenagh Street entertaining families and children while you wait for the floats!  

Bennett Street is where the main stage will be, and is also the last street of the parade route before they finish for the evening – it’s also close to the Lord Mayor’s Lighting of the Christmas Tree which is held after the parade finishes.  

The A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant usually kicks off at 5.30pm with the Christmas parade, and finishes with the Lord Mayor’s Lighting of the Christmas Tree at 7pm. 

There will be live entertainment throughout the whole pageant including music, dancing and joyful Christmas Carols!  

This website will be updated once information becomes available. If you have any questions in the meantime, you can email us at hello@averydarwinchristmas.com.au.

Float registrations will open in mid-2025, if you would like to be notified once float registrations open, please email us at hello@averydarwinchristmas.com.au.

Rain, hail or shine – the Christmas Pageant will go-on!  

Being in November, it might be a good idea to pack an umbrella, but we also recommend joining the Facebook Event to keep up to date with any event updates. 

To ensure our attendees and pageant participants are safe, if there is a storm or lightning in the area, then the parade will be paused until it moves away.  

There are several disabled parks in the above and underground carparks, there are also on-street parking available as normal outside the pageant route.  

There will also be a dedicated accessible drop off point before the pageant starts at Tourism Top End Bennet Street, before road closures. Please review the road closure timetable before timing your visit.

Due to the road closures, on-street parking on the pageant route will not be available.  

Unfortunately the A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant will not be live streamed. 

Be careful of posts/people selling tickets to ‘live stream’ the event – these are scams.  

We have developed a range of blogs to help ignite your imagination when it comes to building and decorating your float, these include:  

• How to build a float at home  

• How to upcycle your Christmas Pageant costume   

• Tips on how to make your float sustainable   

Check out our blog page for more articles!  

We would love to see your children and furry friends participate in the Christmas Pageant, please remember:  

• Children must be supervised by an adult before, during and after the Pageant.  

• Animals are also permitted but an animal-drawn vehicle or an animal that is being ridden is considered to be a vehicle under the road rules. A person riding an animal is considered a rider and, for most road rules, the term driver includes riders.  

• Other animals such as dogs and cats will be assessed and approved on a case-by-case basis, please email us at hello@averydarwinchristmas.com.au  

Primary schools in the Greater Darwin region has the opportunity to win the use of one of three Christmas themed mini floats, plus $1,000 to help their school get involved in the A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant 2024. 

The winners of this year’s competition were:

Year 1 & 2: Durack School NT (121.5 decibel reading)

Year 3 & 4: Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School (122.6 decibel reading)

Year 5 & 6: Bees Creek Primary School (123.2 decibel reading)