Whangārei does Christmas over a whole month, not one weekend. From the last days of November until Christmas Eve there is something on most days: a parade, a market, a craft workshop, a hall full of decorated trees. This guide gathers the regular ones in one place, with links to the official listings so you can check dates and times before you load the kids into the car.
Dates below come from the council's Whangārei Christmas Festival listing and from organisers' own pages. Events move and sell out, so treat this as a map and the listing as the final word.
The Whangārei Christmas Festival
The Christmas Festival is the council's umbrella for everything festive across the district: themed markets, carol concerts, arts and crafts, workshops, parades and light displays. Its listing is the single best page to bookmark, because community groups add their own events to it as December gets closer.
Whangārei Santa Parade
The CDL Group Whangārei Santa Parade is the biggest Christmas parade in Northland and the day the season properly starts. In 2026 it is listed for Saturday 28 November in the city centre. Get there early for a kerb-side spot in the shade, bring water and hats, and expect the streets around Cameron Street and the Laneway to be busy with stalls and a Santa's grotto afterwards.
Smaller parades follow through December. Kamo has its own Christmas parade and festival, Ruakākā runs a parade and fun day, and Waipū holds its parade on Christmas Eve from 7pm, which makes it the last Christmas parade in the country each year.
The Christmas Tree Festival at St John's, Kamo Road
More than 40 Christmas trees, each decorated by a school, kindergarten, club or charity, fill St John's Church at 149 Kamo Road in Kensington. It opens at the end of November and runs most days until Christmas. It is free, it is indoors, and it is at its best in the evening when the lights are on. For small children it is one of the gentlest Christmas outings in town.
Markets worth a morning
- The Artisans Market: Northland's long-running art and craft market, on the Canopy Bridge and in Pūtahi Park at the Town Basin. Saturdays, 9am to 1.30pm, every week from Labour Weekend until Christmas. This is where to buy a present that was made by the person selling it. Dates on the council listing.
- The Canopy Night Market: street food from around the world under the Canopy Bridge, Friday nights from 5pm to 8pm, about once a month through summer. A good "we are not cooking tonight" evening.
- Whangārei Growers Market: Saturday mornings in the Water Street carpark, from about 6.30am to 10.30am. Go for Christmas ham glaze ingredients, berries, new potatoes and flowers, and go early.
- Yule Christmas Market: a small, very festive evening market with artisan stalls, food, carols and the brass band. In past years it has been held in early December at William Fraser Memorial Park on Pohe Island, beside the playground. Check its page for this year's date.
- Christmas markets at Reyburn House Lane: the Whangārei Craft Market runs extra Christmas dates beside Reyburn House at the Town Basin.
There is more on markets and op shops in our Thriftmas guide to Whangārei.
Craft events and workshops
Look for "Crafting a Zero Waste Christmas" on the festival listing (29 November in 2026): a workshop on making reusable and compostable wrapping and decorations. The libraries and the Whangārei Art Museum also run drop-in holiday craft sessions for children, most of them free.
If you would rather craft at home, try our guides to making a wreath from your own garden and luxury Christmas crackers.
Pop-up shops and gift wrapping
Each December a Christmas Wrapping and Community Pop-Up opens in the city centre, run by Volunteering Northland with the council. Volunteers wrap presents bought in town, and there are performances and carols through the day. The Whangārei Art Museum has also run a Hātea pop-up shop over summer with free wrapping on purchases.
Evenings out and gigs
For a grown-up night in December, check what is on at Forum North and the Octagon Theatre, and the gig listings for venues such as The Old Stone Butter Factory in the city. Carol services and choir concerts are listed on the festival page from late November. Book a babysitter early: December Fridays go fast.
Santa, without the queue
Photos with Santa are offered at the Crane Road Christmas Tree Farm on weekends (see our guide to real Christmas trees in Whangārei), and the council has run a free Santa's Grotto at Forum North on December weekends.
And if you want Santa to come to you, he can ring your phone and ask for your child by name. Book a Santa phone call for the evening of the parade and the day ends with the phone ringing.