At a glance
- Saturday 5 December, 4pm to 8pm
- Tugun Lights Up, Toolona Street, Tugun; free; Toolona Street is closed temporarily during the event
- Saturday 5 December, 5pm to 8pm
- Christmas at Frascott, Frascott Park, Mattocks Road, Varsity Lakes; free; ends with a live laser show
- Sunday 6 December, 4:30pm to 7:30pm
- Alicia Street Christmas Fair, 28 Alicia Street, Southport; free; Santa Claus visits
- Who it’s for
- Families and locals who want a free, walkable Christmas evening in their own neighbourhood on the first weekend of December 2026
- What to do now
- Choose the suburb nearest you, plan to walk, ride, scooter or use public transport, and check the organiser’s page the week before
- Last checked
- Thursday 5 November 2026, against the City of Gold Coast What’s On listings and the Tugun Lights Up and Christmas at Frascott websites
- Not yet confirmed
- Stage running orders for all three events, the time Santa arrives at Frascott and Tugun, and whether Tugun Lights Up is the thirteenth or fourteenth edition; the Alicia Street fair has no website of its own, only a Facebook page
Three free Christmas fairs are listed for the first weekend of December 2026 on the Gold Coast: Tugun Lights Up and Christmas at Frascott on Saturday 5 December, and the Alicia Street Christmas Fair in Southport on Sunday 6 December. Each is credited to a City of Gold Coast councillor, and The Events Agency is the listed contact for all three. This guide uses the City’s What’s On pages, read on 5 November 2026, and the organisers’ websites for Tugun and Frascott. Check the event’s own page before you go, because programs can change.
Which Christmas fairs are on 5 and 6 December?
| Date | Event | Place | Times | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 5 Dec | Tugun Lights Up | Toolona Street, Tugun | 4pm to 8pm | Free |
| Sat 5 Dec | Christmas at Frascott | Frascott Park, Mattocks Road, Varsity Lakes | 5pm to 8pm | Free |
| Sun 6 Dec | Alicia Street Christmas Fair | 28 Alicia Street, Southport | 4:30pm to 7:30pm | Free |
Tugun and Frascott are on the same evening, so you can only attend one of them. The Alicia Street fair is on the Sunday, so it can be added to a weekend plan. For all three, the City’s pages say the same thing about travel: use public transport, walking or cycling, because parking may be limited, and parking rules still apply during events.
What is on at Tugun Lights Up on Saturday 5 December?
The City’s listing describes Tugun Lights Up as a celebration where you can dine under the stars at a local café or restaurant, look at local business offers or visit the Christmas market stalls. It says there will be plenty of children’s entertainment through the program and that Santa will make a special appearance. The event is presented by Division 14 Councillor Gail O’Neill in partnership with Community Bank Tugun, part of Bendigo Bank. The organiser’s website adds that it is a Tugun Progress Association event.
The organiser’s website lists the following for the night:
- Stage entertainment, including children’s character shows, live music and carols
- Christmas markets, roving performers and art activities along Toolona Street
- Local business specials
- Carol singers, a Christmas storyfest and a drumming band
The website’s FAQs say admission is free and tickets are not required. They also say this event is built around local traders: the best way to support it is to visit the restaurants, cafés and businesses in the area, and the organisers suggest booking a table directly with a venue online if you want to eat there. The FAQs say you are encouraged to buy food and drink from the businesses in and around the event space, and that alcohol is not permitted to be consumed on site.
Is Toolona Street closed?
Yes. The FAQs say a temporary road closure is in place to help people mix with restaurants and retailers in a safe environment, and that a road closure notification letter will be listed in the downloads section of the website and distributed locally. We have not seen that letter yet. For the exact closure times and the streets affected, read it on the Tugun Lights Up website once it is published.
Where do you park for Tugun Lights Up?
The organisers expect most people to walk, scooter or ride, because the event is for the local community. They say there is limited car parking around the venue and on the side streets, and they encourage public transport or a rideshare. They ask drivers to follow the City’s parking guidelines to avoid parking infringements. The website gives 5 Toolona St, Tugun QLD 4224 as an address to search for.
Is it the thirteenth or the fourteenth Tugun Lights Up?
The two official pages disagree. The City’s What’s On page calls it Tugun’s thirteenth annual celebration. The organiser’s website says Tugun Lights Up returns in 2026 for its fourteenth annual celebration. We have not tried to decide which is right, because the number does not change the date, the time or the place. Both pages give Saturday 5 December 2026 and a 4pm start.
What is on at Christmas at Frascott on Saturday 5 December?
The City’s page calls Christmas at Frascott free festive fun for the whole family in Varsity Lakes, presented by Division 11 Councillor Dan Doran. It says the event begins at 5pm with market stalls, trackless train rides, kids entertainment, food trucks and more. From 5pm on the main stage, Santa Claus arrives alongside special Christmas character and school performances, and the night finishes with a live laser show.
The event’s own website lists these features for the night:
- Christmas carols
- A snow zone
- Free kids activities
- Festive crafts and stalls
- Food trucks
- Santa Claus
- A live laser show to finish
The website’s FAQs say this is a public event, admission is free and tickets are not required. They say no roads are closed, because the event is contained within Frascott Park and the surrounding car park. As with Tugun, the organisers expect most people to walk, scooter or ride, say there is limited parking around the venue and on the side streets, and ask people to use public transport or a rideshare where possible. Alcohol is not permitted to be consumed on site, and the FAQs say Queensland Police will be in attendance throughout the event.
What time does Christmas at Frascott start?
The City’s page and the organiser’s home page both give 5pm to 8pm. The organiser’s FAQ page, however, says 4 to 8 PM. Because two of the three official statements say 5pm, we have used 5pm in this guide, but the FAQ line is a reminder to check the website again close to the date. The same FAQ section says pets are allowed in the public space if they are in your control and on leads at all times, with a warning about the crowds, stalls and loud audio speakers.
What is on at the Alicia Street Christmas Fair on Sunday 6 December?
The City’s listing describes live music, market stalls, inflatable fun and a visit from Santa Claus. It calls the fair a chance to bring together the local community, schools, businesses and residents in a Christmas-style celebration. The program on the page reads:
- Live music
- Market stalls
- Inflatable fun
- Local restaurant specials
- Games and activities
- A visit from Santa Claus
The listing says the event is proudly organised by Division 6 Councillor Brooke Patterson. It runs from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at 28 Alicia Street, Southport, and the price is shown as free. The listing gives no website for the fair; its links go to a Facebook page and an Instagram account, both called aliciastgc.
The City’s page gives the same travel advice as for the other two events: use public transport, walking or cycling, because parking may be limited. It adds that the EasyPark app can be used to start, stop or extend metered parking from your phone, and that parking regulations still apply during events.
Who runs these events and who do I contact?
The listed contact for all three is The Events Agency, on 1300 855 270 or events@theeventsagency.com.au. The Tugun and Frascott FAQs say lost property goes to the event manager’s information tent on the day, and that after the event it is kept at The Events Agency HQ for 21 days. Both also say photographers and videographers may be present, and that by attending you consent to being photographed or filmed; anyone who does not want that should stay out of the event zone.
What should I check before I go?
Four things are still open on the pages we read. First, none of the three pages gives a stage running order. Second, the Frascott page says Santa Claus arrives from 5pm but gives no time, and Tugun gives no time for Santa’s appearance either. Third, the Tugun road closure letter has not been published on the website we read. Fourth, the Frascott FAQ start time of 4pm differs from the 5pm on the other two pages. We will update this guide if the organisers publish more.
If you are planning more Christmas nights, our guide to eight free Christmas events from 10 to 20 December covers Sanctuary Cove, Mermaid Waters, Palm Beach, Varsity Lakes, Broadbeach, Coomera, Greenheart and Currumbin, and our guide to December markets, twilights and New Year’s Eve events covers seven more.
Sources
- What’s On Gold Coast — Tugun Lights Up (read 5 November 2026)
- What’s On Gold Coast — Christmas at Frascott (read 5 November 2026)
- What’s On Gold Coast — Alicia Street Christmas Fair (read 5 November 2026)
- Tugun Lights Up — event website and FAQs (read 5 November 2026)
- Christmas at Frascott — event website and FAQs (read 5 November 2026)
Featured image: Southport and Surfers Paradise seen from the Broadwater in 2020, shown for orientation and not at the events (photo: Kgbo / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the City of Gold Coast, The Events Agency, the Tugun Progress Association or any event organiser. Event details change; check each event’s page before you go.