At a glance
- When
- Sunday 22 November 2026. The pageant runs from 10:30am to 11:30am; the family activities run from 11am to 3pm (Adelaide time, UTC+10:30)
- Where
- Jetty Road, Glenelg, with activities at Jimmy Melrose Park, Moseley Square and the Bay Discovery Centre
- Cost
- Free. Meeting Santa at the Bay Discovery Centre needs a booked session; the council page does not give a ticket price
- Santa
- Timed-entry sessions between 11:30am and 3pm at the Bay Discovery Centre. Bookings are essential, one ticket per group, and two photos per group
- Accessibility
- Accessible viewing areas at Jetty Road and Moseley Street, and opposite the stage near Nile Street with an Auslan interpreter; a sensory space in Glenelg Library from 9am to 12pm
- Who it’s for
- Families in Adelaide’s south-west, including children, wheelchair users and people who need a quiet space
- What to do now
- Book your Santa session at the Bay Discovery Centre, and plan your way in by tram, bus or one of the Glenelg car parks
- Last checked
- Monday 9 November 2026, against the City of Holdfast Bay and Jetty Road Glenelg event pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The pageant route, road closures, and bus and parking changes for the morning; the council says “stay tuned for updates”
The Glenelg Christmas Pageant is on Sunday 22 November 2026, from 10:30am to 11:30am on Jetty Road, and it is free. The City of Holdfast Bay says the pageant has floats, performers, local community groups, musicians and dancers, and welcomes Santa Claus. Afterwards there are free family activities at Jimmy Melrose Park and Moseley Square from 11am to 3pm, and booked sessions to meet Santa at the Bay Discovery Centre. The council has not yet published the route or road closures.
This guide follows the council’s Glenelg Christmas Pageant page and the Jetty Road Glenelg event page, both read on 9 November 2026. Where they are silent, we say so.
What time is the Glenelg Christmas Pageant?
| Time | What the council lists |
|---|---|
| 9am to 12pm | Sensory space open inside Glenelg Library |
| 9:30am to 12pm | Rotary Club of Glenelg sausage sizzle on the Glenelg Community Centre lawn, unless sold out |
| 10:30am to 11:30am | The pageant, ending with Santa’s arrival |
| 11am to 3pm | Youth Maker Markets at Moseley Square; family fun at Jimmy Melrose Park and Moseley Square |
| 11:30am to 3pm | Timed-entry sessions to visit Santa at the Bay Discovery Centre |
The council says the pageant kicks off the festive season and that Jetty Road comes alive with floats, performers, local community groups, musicians and dancers. It does not say where the pageant starts or finishes, how many floats there are, or when exactly Santa arrives.
Is there a parade route or road closure?
Not yet. The council’s page says dedicated accessible viewing areas will be along the pageant route, at Jetty Road and Moseley Street, and opposite the stage near Nile Street. It does not publish a route map or road closures. It ends its description with “Stay tuned for updates!”. In 2025 the council did not hold a street parade because of the Transforming Jetty Road Glenelg construction works and road closures, and held a different event, Christmas at the Bay, on Saturday 6 December 2025 instead. The council’s 2026 page describes the pageant on Jetty Road; check it for the route before you travel.
How do I meet Santa at the Bay Discovery Centre?
The council says there are timed-entry sessions between 11:30am and 3pm, and that bookings are essential through the booking link on its page. The terms it lists are:
| Rule | What the council says |
|---|---|
| Tickets | One ticket per group; a family of four needs only one booking |
| Photos | There is no professional photographer, so bring your own camera; a limit of two photographs per group booking |
| Timing | Strict session times; arrive on time. Admission is valid only during your booked session |
| Entry | Present your digital tickets or receipt on the day |
| Queue | A shaded area for you and your family to queue safely |
The page does not give a ticket price or the length of a session, and it refers you to the Bay Discovery Centre website for accessibility information. In the centre’s downstairs gallery you can decorate a star or bauble with a Christmas wish and add it to the wishing tree, and make an Aussie-themed Christmas wreath from card to take home. Upstairs in the museum, 12 naughty elves have gone missing, and there are Christmas crafts including chatterboxes and colour-by-numbers.
What else is on after the pageant?
| What | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Maker Markets: young designers and creatives aged 10 to 25 selling crafted items | Moseley Square | 11am to 3pm |
| Free family-friendly entertainment | Jimmy Melrose Park and Moseley Square | 11am to 3pm |
| Royal Flying Doctor Service Airplane Simulator | Family fun area | Listed in the activities |
| Activities from event supporters AFL Max and Coles Healthy Kicks | Family fun area | Listed in the activities |
| Meenu’s Henna | Family fun area | Listed in the activities |
| Performances by Q2Dance Clogging | Family fun area | Listed in the activities |
The council says the markets will be at the Christmas event this year. For food, it points to the cafes and restaurants along Jetty Road, and notes the Rotary Club of Glenelg’s sausage sizzle on the community centre lawn from 9:30am to 12pm. The page does not give a time for each activity.
What accessible viewing and quiet spaces are there?
The council lists these arrangements for the pageant:
| Arrangement | Where and what |
|---|---|
| Accessible viewing area for wheelchairs and mobility scooters | Corner of Jetty Road and Moseley Street, with a portable accessible toilet, additional accessible parking and a designated drop-off zone |
| Second accessible viewing area | Opposite the stage near Nile Street, with an Auslan interpreter throughout the pageant |
| Sensory space | Inside Glenelg Library, open 9am to 12pm, for anyone who needs time away from the noise |
How do I get to the Glenelg Christmas Pageant?
The council’s event page gives no travel advice, parking or public transport changes, so we have not named any for the morning. Our guide to Glenelg parking and getting there covers the car parks near Jetty Road, the tram and the buses in general. If you are driving, the council says additional accessible parking will be near Jetty Road and Moseley Street. Check the council page the week before for any road closure or tram change on the day.
What else is on in Glenelg this season?
Jetty Road Glenelg lists the Nova Ferris Wheel, a 35-metre wheel at Moseley Square, open daily from 10am to 9:30pm from 23 October 2026 to 9 May 2027, with bookings required. It also lists New Year’s Eve fireworks at Glenelg Beach north of the Jetty on Thursday 31 December, from 6pm to 11:45pm, and the Glenelg Ice Cream Festival on Friday 5 February, from 4pm to 10pm.
What has not been confirmed?
- The pageant route, start and finish points, and any road closures on Sunday 22 November.
- Bus and tram changes on the morning, and parking arrangements beyond the accessible parking near Jetty Road and Moseley Street.
- The ticket price and session length for Santa at the Bay Discovery Centre.
- The time of each family-fun activity.
We will update this guide when the council adds details. Check the council’s event page the week before and on the morning. To ask the council, phone the Events Team on 8229 9999 or email events@holdfast.sa.gov.au.
Sources
- City of Holdfast Bay — Glenelg Christmas Pageant (date, times, Santa sessions, markets, accessibility, food)
- Jetty Road Glenelg — Glenelg Christmas Pageant (the same event listing)
- City of Holdfast Bay — Cirque Alice star leads Glenelg’s Christmas celebrations (2025: no street parade because of the Jetty Road works)
- Jetty Road Glenelg — The Nova Ferris Wheel (dates, hours, bookings)
Featured image: Jetty Road, Glenelg, on Australia Day 2012 (photo: User:Orderinchaos / CC BY 3.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the City of Holdfast Bay, Jetty Road Glenelg or the Bay Discovery Centre. Event details can change; check the council website before you go.