Deck the halls and check your list twice, because the Christmas season is now upon us! It’s that joyous time of the year again and the City of Adelaide is being blessed with the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant making its way along the city circuit once more.
For newbies and seasoned pageant-goers, we know a refresher on how to navigate the pageant would be deemed helpful.
The Route
The pageant will commence from South Terrace at 9:30am, making its way through the CBD until it reaches its final destination in front of Town Hall at around 11:30am. The entire route is equipped with water stations, public toilets, wheelchair-accessible areas and numerous first aid posts.
Santa Claus will set off from South Terrace and travel north on King William Road to Wakefield St (west of Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square). From there, Santa will make his way down Wakefield Street, turn left onto Pulteney Street, and travel up to North Terrace. From here, he will make his way down North Terrace and turn left back onto King William Street, before arriving at the Adelaide Town Hall on Franklin Street.
There are many spots to set up and watch! Victoria Square is a popular choice, due to its central location and many vantage points. Families often gather at the parklands around the square, as well as both sides of Gouger and Angas Street as it turns down Pulteney.
The northern side of the route near the Art Gallery or Museum also has great set-up spots, which may be less crowded than the city centre.
Familiarise yourself with the route map to discover all the best viewing spots and essential pit stops for water and toilets.
Getting there
Getting there is often the hardest part. Plan your drive with plenty of time to find a park and viewing spot, or drop off carefully. Road closures will begin as early as 5am and be in place until after the parade.
Parking complexes and street parking will be available, but we recommend getting there early to secure a spot. To avoid traffic and road closures, you can explore bus, train, and tram options.
The city is running additional public transport on pageant day to encourage more people to take this option, and take the hassle out of parking and navigating road closures.
There is also a free City Connector bus, which is wheelchair and pram-friendly, operating every 30 minutes until 7.15pm. For timetables, route details and real-time information visit the Adelaide Metro website.
Pageant etiquette & safety
While deck chairs and blankets are easy to bring along, just be sure to leave enough space for everyone along the route and allow the kids to sit on the pavement path to get their full view. Wait until the roads are closed to set up your blankets and rugs behind the Blue Honour Line.
As the crowds will be big, it’s best to have safety plans so your outing stays enjoyable. Keep your phones charged and establish meeting points in case your group gets lost.
For the parents and caregivers, provide your young ones and vulnerable people with wristbands of contact information to assist staff and police in getting them safely returned.
If the sun is shining, keep the sunscreen handy so you’re not looking redder than Rudolph’s nose. If the forecast is predicting rain – although the weather is looking particularly pleasant this weekend – leave the giant umbrella at home and wear the trusty rain jacket or poncho.
Final tips
The National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant recommends bringing plenty of snacks. Sandwiches, a thermos of coffee or tea, and a couple of water bottles are great.
You can also check out the guide here for restaurants and cafes that will be open and serving food along the route here. Scroll down the page to find ‘food and drink along the route’
For other handy tips, visit the Christmas Pageant website.
The National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant is a magical festive event that shuts down the city… and rightfully so! Get into the Christmas spirit with marching bands, headliner acts, colourful artist displays and hilarious street entertainers.
If you want to skip the city crowds, the Pageant will be broadcast live on Channel Nine and live-streamed on 9Now, from 10.30am, hosted by Brenton Ragless and Kate Collins.
The National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant will take place on Saturday 4 November from 9:30am.
Discover the float list here.
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