Christmas in New Zealand happens outdoors. It starts with Santa parades in the last days of November, moves through a month of markets, carols in parks and streets of lights, and ends with a swim on Christmas Day. This page gathers the main events for 2026 in one place, city by city, with a link to a fuller guide for each.
Dates are from official listings where they have been published. A few events had not announced 2026 dates when we wrote this; for those we say when they ran last year. Always check the linked listing before you travel.
Key dates for Christmas 2026
- Saturday 28 November: Whangārei Santa Parade. Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, Hagley Park, Christchurch, 7.30pm. Christmas in the City launch, Christchurch, 11am.
- Sunday 29 November: Farmers Santa Parade, Queen Street, Auckland, 1pm.
- Late November: Dunedin Santa Parade and Christmas in the Garden, the Southland Santa Parade in Invercargill, and the Christchurch Christmas Show Parade usually fall on this weekend or the one before.
- 1 to 24 December: Franklin Road Christmas lights, Auckland.
- Early December: Hamilton Christmas Parade and Napier Christmas Parade (first Sunday of December in recent years).
- Saturday 12 December: Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, Auckland Domain.
- 19 December to 24 January: TSB Festival of Lights, Pukekura Park, New Plymouth.
- 24 December: Christmas Eve parades in Waipū and Riverton.
North Island
- Whangārei and Northland: Santa parade, the Christmas Tree Festival, Town Basin markets and a lights trail. Whangārei Christmas events guide and Whangārei Christmas lights.
- Auckland: the country's biggest Santa parade, Franklin Road, MOTAT lights and Christmas in the Park. Auckland Christmas events 2026.
- Hamilton and Waikato: the Christmas parade, Temple View lights and the Cambridge light trail. Hamilton Christmas events 2026.
- Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Rotorua: lights trails with printed maps, beach-side carols and a string of small-town parades. Bay of Plenty Christmas events 2026.
- Napier and Hastings: the Napier parade and the Fiesta of Lights. Hawke's Bay Christmas events 2026.
- New Plymouth: five weeks of the TSB Festival of Lights. New Plymouth Christmas events 2026.
- Whanganui: a Christmas parade through town followed by market stalls in Majestic Square.
- Wellington: Christmas in the Quarters across the central city. Wellington Christmas events 2026.
South Island
- Christchurch: Christmas in the Park, the Christmas Show Parade and Santa arriving by boat at New Brighton. Christchurch Christmas events 2026.
- Dunedin: the Santa Parade down George Street and a weekend of free entertainment. Dunedin Christmas events 2026.
- Invercargill and Southland: the Southland Santa Parade, a Christmas lights map and the Riverton Christmas Eve parade. Invercargill Christmas events 2026.
The best Christmas lights in New Zealand
- Franklin Road, Ponsonby, Auckland: a whole street of decorated villas, every night in December.
- TSB Festival of Lights, New Plymouth: a free walk through a lit botanic park, with music.
- Temple View, Hamilton: tens of thousands of lights around the temple grounds.
- Fiesta of Lights, Hastings: a drive-in or walk-through show at the showgrounds.
- Lights trails with maps in Tauranga, Rotorua, Napier, Hastings, Invercargill and Whangārei.
Our guide to planning a Christmas lights night works in any town.
Where to find events in smaller towns
Almost every town has a parade, usually run by Lions, Rotary or the business association, and most are on a Saturday or Sunday between late November and mid December.
- Your district council's "what's on" page.
- Eventfinda, searched by town and "Christmas".
- The local newspaper, which prints a parade and lights list at the start of December.
- The town's community social media page.
What to take to any New Zealand Christmas event
- Sunscreen, hats and water. Parades are at midday in early summer.
- A rug or folding chairs, and something for small children to stand on.
- A warm layer for evening events in the south.
- Cash for sausage sizzles and donation buckets.
- A plan for where to meet if someone gets lost.
Bring Santa home afterwards
Parades and lights are for crowds. The moment children remember is the one that is only for them. Santa can ring your phone, ask for your child by name and ask what they would like for Christmas. You choose the day and the minute, so it can ring as you get home from the parade or the lights.