Council Christmas program brimming with bright ideas for festive fun

Wagga Wagga City Council has launched its Christmas program ahead of the festive season.

Wagga’s 2022 A Very Wagga Christmas program includes large-scale light installations, decorations throughout the CBD, and the travelling Christmas trail featuring Santa and Mrs Claus.

The council has also released an online gift guide and Christmas videos to encourage people to shop locally.

Everyone is encouraged to head to the events to grab some Christmas gifts or food, or pack a picnic, rug and bug repellent and enjoy a summer evening of seasonal songs and festivities.

Events officer Emma Corbett said the council was excited to be showcasing what was on offer across the city this Christmas and how the community could get involved to support local businesses and community initiatives this year.

The 2022 Christmas program

Christmas events

Wagga Council said staff had been working with external event organisers to help deliver a calendar full of Christmas events throughout December.

The program includes:

• The Triple M Christmas Carols at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Sunday, 4 December
• Wagga RSL Christmas Party on the Greens at Wagga RSL Club on Friday, 9 December
• Community Carols at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Saturday, 10 December
• Inspire Christmas Spectacular at Inspire Church on Sunday, 11 December
• River & Wren Christmas Market at Kyeamba Smith Hall on Sunday, 11 December
• Christmas with the Con at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Saturday, 17 December
• Christmas Lifestyle Markets at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Sunday, 18 December.

Christmas Trail

The annual Christmas trail will run from Monday, 5 December, to Thursday, 8 December, from 4 pm to 5 pm.

Santa and Mrs Claus and their helpers will be stopping by several Wagga suburbs and a rural village for the annual Christmas trail.

They will be visiting Gobbagombalin Park, the Botanic Gardens at Turvey Park, Chambers Park at Tolland, and Paddy Osborne Park at Tarcutta.

People will have the opportunity to enjoy various activities at each of the locations, including performances by the local choir, and ornament-decorating workshops and garden games for families to play.

For more information, click here.

CBD decorations

Christmas light installations and decorations installed in Baylis and Fitzmaurice streets, the Civic Centre forecourt, and Victory Memorial Gardens will be on public display until Monday, 9 January, 2023.

The decorations include:
• New illuminated Santa and elf interactive lighting display under the lit-up cypress pine tree in Victory Memorial Gardens
• 80 Christmas-themed decorations made of acrylic board installed on street poles in Baylis and Fitzmaurice streets, 750 mm – 1000 mm tall, manufactured locally
• Wagga Wagga Christmas-branded triangular tree guards and parklet covers in Fitzmaurice Street
• Wagga Wagga Christmas-branded bin covers in Baylis Street
• Wagga Wagga Christmas-branded flags installed in Baylis and Fitzmaurice streets
• Trio of stars light installation in the Civic Centre forecourt
• Complementing the existing lighting features, including 24,000 fairy lights in the pine tree in Victory Memorial Gardens, fairy lights on the upper section of the lightpoles in Fitzmaurice Street and fairy lights at five pedestrian crossings in Baylis Street.

Local gift guide and Christmas video

Wagga City Council is encouraging everyone to check out the digital Christmas gift guide and shop that showcases a range of products from local producers.

In partnership with the Wagga Tourism Partners, the online shop has gift ideas for everyone of all ages, the foodies are well catered for, as are the hard-to-buy-for with unique Wagga Wagga souvenirs.

A Holly, Jolly Christmas video also complements the gift guide, showcasing Wagga retail locations where you can shop for gifts and local produce.

Follow Mrs Claus as she skips through our CBD ticking off items on her Christmas shopping list and enjoys a well-deserved mid-shopping rest stop.