We confirmed 7 Christmas events for kids in Wellington for 2026. The first is Te Kirihimete o Pito-one on 27 November, and the season runs until 19 December with Christmas on the Lawn. All 7 are free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in New Zealand.
The short version
- 7 kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Wellington and Lower Hutt
- First: Te Kirihimete o Pito-one, Lower Hutt, 27 November
- Free events: Te Kirihimete o Pito-one, Christmas in the Nui, Christmas in Bethlehem, Stokes Valley Christmas Parade and Market, A Christmas Cracker, Christmas Movie on the Lawn and more
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by area, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (booking, ages, what is included).
Wellington Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 7 confirmed for 2026
- Suburbs and towns
- Wellington and Lower Hutt
- Season
- 27 November to 19 December
- Free events
- 7
- Last checked
Christmas events for kids in Wellington
1 confirmed event in Wellington, soonest first.
A Christmas Cracker
Meet SantaFreeWellington City Council · Wellington
- Host
- Wellington City Council (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Waitangi Park, 107 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
- When
- Saturday 12 December, 11am to 5pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- The whole whānau
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
A Christmas Cracker is Wellington City Council's free Christmas celebration in the city, filling Waitangi Park from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 12 December. Children can meet Santa at Santa's Grotto and post their wish list in Santa's Mailbox.
Free activities include face painting, caricatures, Christmas craft stations, ice skating, a foam pit, roving performers with juggling, hula hoop and magic, and Christmas mascots. The stage runs all day with dance groups, choirs, brass bands, a ukulele band, singers and a pantomime performance. Food trucks are on site, and both entry and activities are free, so it is an easy full day out for families. Waitangi Park sits on the waterfront, so a walk along the harbour makes a nice addition to the day.
Parent tip: The council publishes an event guide with sensory information, what to bring and how to get there, which is handy for planning.
See dates and details from Wellington City Council (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Lower Hutt
6 confirmed events in Lower Hutt, soonest first.
Te Kirihimete o Pito-one (Lower Hutt)
Meet SantaFreeHutt City Council events · Lower Hutt
- Host
- Hutt City Council events (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- North Park, 49 Udy Street, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012
- When
- Friday 27 November, 3.30pm to 7.30pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Te Kirihimete o Pito-one is Petone's new free Christmas celebration for the whole family at North Park. The main stage gets going from 3.30pm with schools and community acts.
From 5.30pm the main event has a carols in the park feel, building up until Santa arrives, and the evening wraps up at 7.30pm. There are Christmas stalls, kids' activities and food for sale, or you can bring a picnic and sing along to the carols. No booking is needed, so just turn up and find a spot on the grass. Te Kirihimete o Pito-one is listed on the Hutt City Council events calendar as an all-ages event with no booking required, so it is a simple, low-cost evening out for the whole whānau before Santa heads home.
Parent tip: Bring a picnic rug; Santa arrives towards the end of the evening, before the 7.30pm finish.
See dates and details from Hutt City Council events (opens in a new tab)Christmas in the Nui (Lower Hutt)
Christmas marketFreeKōkiri Marae Hauora, Tihei Rangatahi and Love Wainuiomata · Lower Hutt
- Host
- Kōkiri Marae Hauora, Tihei Rangatahi and Love Wainuiomata (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Wainuiomata Community Hall, Queen Street, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt 5014
- When
- Saturday 28 November, 11am to 3pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Christmas in the Nui has been celebrated in Wainuiomata for more than a decade, bringing generations of whānau together to connect and enjoy the festive season. It is presented by Kōkiri Marae Hauora, Tihei Rangatahi and Love Wainuiomata, alongside local groups and community champions.
The free day runs from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 28 November at the Wainuiomata Community Hall, with entertainment, activities, kai, local stalls, prizes and giveaways, and plenty of Christmas fun for all ages. There is no need to book; just come along and celebrate Christmas the Wainuiomata way. The event is listed on the Hutt City Council events calendar as all ages and free, and it is a great way to meet other local families and kick off the festive season together in the valley.
Parent tip: No bookings needed. Prizes and giveaways run through the day, so arrive early.
See dates and details from Kōkiri Marae Hauora, Tihei Rangatahi and Love Wainuiomata (opens in a new tab)Christmas in Bethlehem (Lower Hutt)
Family Christmas eventFreePetone Baptist Church · Lower Hutt
- Host
- Petone Baptist Church (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Jackson Street, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012
- When
- Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December, 7pm to 9pm; Sunday 6 December, 10am to 11.30am
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Petone Baptist Church runs its annual Christmas in Bethlehem again this year, recreating Bethlehem Village on Jackson Street for families to wander through. Children can visit the Rabbi school, try some carpentry, hang out with the shepherds around their campfire, join the spinners and crafters, and bake bread in the bakery.
There are animals to interact with and a choir of angels to listen to along the way. Sessions run from 7pm to 9pm on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December, and from 10am to 11.30am on Sunday 6 December. Entry is free and everyone is welcome, with no booking needed. The Sunday morning session suits younger children who are not up to an evening outing. The event is listed on the Hutt City Council events calendar with free entry for all ages.
Parent tip: Choose the Sunday morning session for little ones; evening sessions run 7pm to 9pm.
See dates and details from Petone Baptist Church (opens in a new tab)Stokes Valley Christmas Parade and Market (Lower Hutt)
Santa paradeFreeHutt City Council events · Lower Hutt
- Host
- Hutt City Council events (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Speldhurst Park, 214 Stokes Valley Road, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt 5019
- When
- Saturday 5 December, 10am to 2pm (parade at 12pm)
- Cost
- Free entry
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Stokes Valley celebrates Christmas on Saturday 5 December with a big market at Speldhurst Park, open to everyone from 10am to 2pm. There are rides for the tamariki, treasures and gifts, food and special stalls just for children.
At 12 o'clock the grand Christmas Parade sets off from the fire station and makes its way down Stokes Valley Road to Evans Street. Entry is free and no booking is needed. There is no parking on the parade route for safety, so allow time to park nearby and walk in, and you may want to bring a bag for all your goodies. The event is listed on the Hutt City Council events calendar as free for all ages, and the combination of market rides and a parade makes it a full morning out for young families.
Parent tip: There is no parking on the parade route, so park nearby and walk in. Bring a bag for market purchases.
See dates and details from Hutt City Council events (opens in a new tab)Christmas Movie on the Lawn (Lower Hutt)
Family Christmas eventFreeLBO Event Management · Lower Hutt
- Host
- LBO Event Management (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Anzac Lawn, Riddiford Gardens, behind the War Memorial Library, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 5010
- When
- Saturday 12 December, 5.30pm to 7.30pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Hutt Central's Christmas Movie Night on the Lawn screens the festive favourite Elf at the Anzac Lawn in Riddiford Gardens, behind the War Memorial Library. It runs from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Saturday 12 December.
Bring a bean bag, picnic blanket or chair. Food trucks and vendors will be on site with savoury and sweet treats and drinks, so you can grab dinner before settling in for a family night outdoors. Entry is free, all ages are welcome and there is no need to book. It is presented by LBO Event Management as part of the Summer in the Hutt series. Riddiford Gardens is right in Hutt Central, so it is easy to reach, and the screening finishes at 7.30pm, which suits younger children.
Parent tip: Bring bean bags or blankets and something warm for when the sun goes down.
See dates and details from LBO Event Management (opens in a new tab)Christmas on the Lawn (Lower Hutt)
Meet SantaFreeLBO Event Management · Lower Hutt
- Host
- LBO Event Management (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Anzac Lawn, Riddiford Gardens, Behind the War Memorial Library, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 5010
- When
- Saturday 19 December, 3pm to 7pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Christmas on the Lawn is a free community celebration for the whole family at Riddiford Gardens in Hutt Central, running from 3pm to 7pm on Saturday 19 December. The afternoon features live performances from Nick's Christmas Band, Japanese drummers, dance groups and a range of cultural and community performers.
Children can meet Santa, have their face painted and enjoy family activities, while food trucks and stalls keep everyone fed. An artisan craft market runs alongside from 4pm. Entry is free, all ages are welcome and there is no need to book, making it a relaxed way to spend the last Saturday before Christmas. The event is listed on the Hutt City Council events calendar as part of the Summer in the Hutt series.
Parent tip: An artisan craft market runs alongside from 4pm if you still have gifts to buy.
See dates and details from LBO Event Management (opens in a new tab)More Christmas events for kids in New Zealand
- Christmas events for kids in Auckland
- Christmas events for kids in Christchurch
- Christmas events for kids in Tauranga
- Christmas events for kids in New Zealand
A story for the trip home
Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is hand-painted in watercolour. It is a cosy five-minute read after a big day out.
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)Wellington Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are in Wellington in 2026?
We confirmed 7 Christmas events for kids in Wellington for 2026, each on its host’s own page, including Te Kirihimete o Pito-one (Lower Hutt), Christmas in the Nui (Lower Hutt), Christmas in Bethlehem (Lower Hutt), Stokes Valley Christmas Parade and Market (Lower Hutt), A Christmas Cracker, Christmas Movie on the Lawn (Lower Hutt) and Christmas on the Lawn (Lower Hutt). Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Wellington?
Yes, all 7 events here are free: Te Kirihimete o Pito-one (Lower Hutt), Christmas in the Nui (Lower Hutt), Christmas in Bethlehem (Lower Hutt), Stokes Valley Christmas Parade and Market (Lower Hutt), A Christmas Cracker, Christmas Movie on the Lawn (Lower Hutt) and Christmas on the Lawn (Lower Hutt).
Where can kids see Santa in Wellington this year?
Santa appears at Te Kirihimete o Pito-one (Lower Hutt), A Christmas Cracker and Christmas on the Lawn (Lower Hutt). Times and booking rules are in each listing above.
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 2 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.
