Christmas Events for Kids in Bundaberg (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

3 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg, running from 3 December to 3 December. Every event here is free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Australia.

The short version

  • Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Bundaberg: 2
  • First: Pageant of Lights, Bundaberg, 3 December
  • Free events: Pageant of Lights and Twilight Artisan Christmas Market

Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by suburb, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (booking, ages, what is included).

At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg

Kids’ Christmas events
2 confirmed for 2026
Suburbs
Bundaberg
Season
3 December to 3 December
Free events
2
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg

Listed soonest first: 2 confirmed events in Bundaberg.

Christmas paradeFree

Pageant of Lights

Expand to see the parent tip

The council's Pageant of Lights is a family tradition on Bourbong Street in the Bundaberg CBD. Live entertainment starts on two stages at 5.30pm, with food and market stalls. The Christmas lights are switched on at 7pm, followed by the parade of Christmas floats.

Entry is free. Contact the council on 1300 883 699 or events.admin@bundaberg.qld.gov.au for details.

Parent tip: Arrive from 5.30pm for the stage entertainment and food, then find a spot on Bourbong Street before the 7pm switch-on. Expect road closures in the CBD in the evening.

Host
Bundaberg Regional Council (opens in a new tab)
Where
Bourbong Street, Bundaberg CBD (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Bundaberg Regional Council (opens in a new tab)

New events in Bundaberg every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 1 more Bundaberg event researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Bundaberg.
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Coming up on this page

  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Markets
  • 2 Free

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Christmas marketFree

Twilight Artisan Christmas Market

Expand to see the parent tip

The council's Pageant of Lights page places the Twilight Artisan Market in Gallery Park on the night of the pageant. In 2025 the market was hosted by the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery and sold locally made gifts from 5.30 to 9pm.

The 2026 page confirms the location and the date but not the stall list or hours.

Parent tip: Combine the market with the pageant: browse the stalls first, then walk to Bourbong Street for the 7pm lights switch-on.

Host
Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery (opens in a new tab)
Where
Gallery Park, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, 1 Barolin Street (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery (opens in a new tab)

New events in Bundaberg every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Bundaberg every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

More Christmas events for kids in Australia

A story for the trip home

Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cosy story to share on the way home after a big day out.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolour corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolour. Ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon.com.au (opens in a new tab)

Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg?

For 2026, we confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg, each on its host’s own page: Pageant of Lights and Twilight Artisan Christmas Market. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Bundaberg?

Yes, every event here is free: Pageant of Lights and Twilight Artisan Christmas Market.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on 8 November 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Bundaberg

Bundaberg switches its Christmas lights on from Bourbong Street at 7pm, then sends floats past the crowd. The council has run the Pageant of Lights for years, and the 2023 parade had over 60 floats.

Bourbong Street switches on at 7pm

Bundaberg's Christmas starts on Bourbong Street with the Pageant of Lights. The council's event page lists it for Thursday 3 December 2026, 5.30 to 9pm, and it is free. Live entertainment runs on two stages from 5.30pm, with food and market stalls. The Christmas lights are switched on at 7pm, then a parade of Christmas floats comes down the street. A Twilight Artisan Market sits in Gallery Park the same night. The council's news page also carries a story headed Celebrating 30 years of Pageant of Lights, which shows how long the parade has been going.

Three float prizes and hampers at Buss Park, 2025

The 2025 Pageant of Lights ran on Thursday 4 December from 5.30 to 9pm, free with no ticket. The lights went on at 7pm and the floats followed in three divisions, each winner getting a Christmas hamper, with the winners announced at Buss Park. Buss Park and the CBD Pavilion each had a stage, with acts from Encore Dance Studio to the City of Bundaberg Drum Corps. Roads around the CBD were closed from 3pm to 10.30pm.

Camels, miniature ponies and a peg biplane

The 2023 parade had over 60 floats and 31 food vendors. Camels, stilt walkers, the three wise men and nutcracker ballerinas roamed Bourbong Street before it started. Bundaberg Riding for the Disabled built an Elves and Candy Canes float with miniature ponies, which took about five volunteers 60 to 80 hours to build. In December 2025 the Hinkler Hall of Aviation ran a free workshop on 17 December to build a peg biplane Christmas decoration, and Moore Park Beach had camel rides at its community Christmas on 13 December.

Traditions today

  • Pageant of Lights: A free CBD night with the lights switch-on at 7pm and a parade of Christmas floats down Bourbong Street.
  • Twilight Artisan Market: A market in Gallery Park on pageant night, selling locally made gifts.
  • Float judging: Three float divisions are judged, with a Christmas hamper for each winner announced at Buss Park.
  • Moore Park Beach Christmas: A community-run beach Christmas with carols, markets, Santa, camel rides and fireworks.
  • Aviation Christmas craft: A free peg biplane decoration workshop at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation.

A fact for kids

At the 2023 Bundaberg parade, a float built by volunteers carried miniature ponies and took 60 to 80 hours to make.

Questions about Christmas in Bundaberg

When is the Pageant of Lights in Bundaberg in 2026?

The council's event page lists the Pageant of Lights for Thursday 3 December 2026, from 5.30 to 9pm on Bourbong Street in the Bundaberg CBD. It is free. Live entertainment starts at 5.30pm, the Christmas lights are switched on at 7pm and the parade of floats follows.

Is the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights free?

Yes. The council lists entry as free, and in 2025 it said no ticket was required. Food and market stalls charge for their own goods, so bring a little cash or a card. Families can watch from the footpaths along Bourbong Street, and the evening is alcohol-free, with pets discouraged.

What time should we arrive at the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

Aim for 5.30pm, when live entertainment starts on two stages. In 2025 the lights went on at 7pm and the floats followed straight after. Roads around the CBD were closed from 3pm to 10.30pm, and there was no allocated parking, so allow extra time to find a spot and walk into the CBD with the kids.

Where do you park for the Pageant of Lights in Bundaberg?

In 2025 there was no allocated parking. The council said parking was available throughout the CBD outside the closure areas, which ran along Bourbong Street, parts of Barolin Street and Tantitha Street. Check the council's 2026 traffic notice before you go, as closures can change each year and affect where you leave the car.

Who wins the floats at the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

Three float divisions are recognised, and each winner receives a Christmas hamper. In 2025 the winners were announced at Buss Park straight after the parade. In 2019 Bundaberg Riding for the Disabled won the community and club group category.

How many floats are in the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights parade?

The 2023 council article said there were over 60 Christmas floats, plus 31 food vendors along Bourbong Street. The 2025 articles did not give a float count. The 2026 numbers have not been published yet, so treat 60 as a guide to the scale of the parade, not a promise for this year.

What entertainment is on at the Pageant of Lights besides the parade?

In 2025 Buss Park had Encore Dance Studio, a combined school choir, Cane Country Square Dancers and Amy Alice Music. The CBD Pavilion stage had the City of Bundaberg Drum Corps, Baylando Latin Fusion and the Caring Hearts Support Services Choir. Roving performers worked the street before the parade.

Is there a Christmas market on Pageant of Lights night?

Yes. The Twilight Artisan Market is in Gallery Park, next to the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, from 5.30 to 9pm in 2025. It sells locally made gifts. The council's 2026 page places it in Gallery Park again. Rally Takes the Train's Bundaberg Christmas events guide has the current details.

Why is a Bundaberg Christmas float so much work?

The 2023 Riding for the Disabled float, Elves and Candy Canes, took about five volunteers 60 to 80 hours to build and carried miniature ponies. The group said it normally has a year to plan, but had only months that time. Many floats are built by volunteers.

What roving characters have turned up at the Bundaberg parade?

In 2023 the council listed carollers, stilt walkers, camels, the three wise men and nutcracker ballerinas working Bourbong Street. A parade can mean a long wait, so these early acts help keep young kids busy before the lights go on at 7pm.

Where can kids watch the Bundaberg Christmas lights switch-on?

The lights are switched on from Bourbong Street in the CBD at 7pm during the Pageant of Lights. Buss Park has a stage and toilets, including accessible toilets, and the Art Gallery also has toilets. Families usually claim a footpath spot along Bourbong Street before the parade starts.

Is there food at the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

Yes. Food and market stalls line Bourbong Street, and they charge for their own goods, so bring a little cash or a card. In 2023 there were 31 food vendors along Bourbong Street.

Are there Christmas carols at Moore Park Beach?

In 2025 Moore Park Beach Arts ran a free family Christmas on Saturday 13 December, 4 to 8pm, with carols, markets, Santa, camel rides and fireworks at the community centre, oval and beach on Club Avenue. It was community-led, not run by the council.

Can kids make Christmas crafts at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation?

In 2025 the Hinkler Hall of Aviation ran a free peg biplane Christmas decoration workshop on Wednesday 17 December, 9.30 to 11.30am. No 2026 session has been confirmed, so check the council's events page for new dates before you plan a visit.

Is there a Christmas movie at Moncrieff Entertainment Centre?

In 2025 the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre screened a Christmas film on Saturday 13 December at 6pm for $10. That was a 2025 session, and no 2026 screening has been confirmed.

What is there to do in Bundaberg on Christmas Eve with kids?

The council pages we found do not list a Christmas Eve event for 2026. The main council Christmas night is the Pageant of Lights on 3 December. Check Rally Takes the Train's Bundaberg Christmas events guide as dates arrive.

How old is the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

The council's news page carries a story headed Celebrating 30 years of Pageant of Lights, which points to about three decades of parades. The pages we opened did not give the first year, so we cannot name when it started. The council calls it a community tradition.

Which roads close for the Pageant of Lights?

In 2025 the closures ran from 3pm to 10.30pm on Bourbong Street between Maryborough and Toonburra Streets, Barolin Street from Quay to Woongarra Streets, and Tantitha Street from Choice Liquor to Woongarra Street. The 2026 closures had not been published when we checked.

Can I bring the dog to the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

The council discouraged pets at the 2025 pageant and kept the event alcohol-free. With crowds, road closures and a float parade, it is easier on a dog to leave it at home. Assistance animals are a separate matter, so ask the council if unsure.

Who sponsors the Bundaberg Pageant of Lights?

In 2025 the platinum sponsors were Auswide Bank and Ergon Energy Network, and the council runs the event. Sponsors can change each year, so the 2026 line-up may differ. The council's contact for the pageant is 1300 883 699 or events.admin@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.

Sources

  1. Pageant of Lights (3 December 2026), Bundaberg Regional Council
  2. Pageant of Lights: what to know before you go, BRC Now, Bundaberg Regional Council
  3. Christmas begins with dazzling Pageant of Lights, BRC Now, Bundaberg Regional Council
  4. Pageant of Lights brings the magic of Christmas, BRC Now, Bundaberg Regional Council
  5. Christmas program 2025, Bundaberg Regional Council
  6. Bundaberg to welcome 2026 with riverside fireworks, BRC Now, Bundaberg Regional Council
  7. A Moore Park Beach Christmas, Bundaberg Regional Council event calendar
  8. Council Events, BRC Now, Bundaberg Regional Council
Kelsey Cecil
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