At a glance
- Carols by Candlelight
- Sunday 6 December 2026, gates 4:00pm, main show 6:30pm, ends 8:30pm, Riverway Complex, free
- Strand Night Markets
- Friday 4 December 2026, 5:00pm to 9:30pm, Strand Park, free
- Townsville Shopping Centre
- Black Friday Mystery Bag from Monday 23 to Saturday 28 November; longer Christmas trading hours from Friday 27 November; closed on Christmas Day
- Who it’s for
- Families and anyone in Townsville planning December evenings, Christmas shopping or a trip to the carols
- What to do now
- The carols are on 6 December, the night markets on 4 December, and the shopping centre is open until 9:00pm on Thursday 3 and Thursday 10 December
- Last checked
- Saturday 7 November 2026, against the City of Townsville What’s On listings and the Townsville Shopping Centre pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The council says the full carols program and event map are still to come, so parking, road closures and shuttle buses for Riverway are not yet published
The two big free community events of Townsville’s Christmas build-up are Carols by Candlelight at Riverway on Sunday 6 December, which starts with gates at 4:00pm, and the Strand Night Markets on Friday 4 December from 5:00pm to 9:30pm. Townsville Shopping Centre in Aitkenvale adds a Black Friday Mystery Bag draw from 23 November and longer opening hours from 27 November, with a full Christmas week, a Christmas Day closure and a Boxing Day reopening at 9:00am.
This guide pulls the dates and times from the City of Townsville’s What’s On listings and from the shopping centre’s own pages. Townsville is on Queensland time (UTC+10, no daylight saving), so every time below is Queensland time. Prices and times were checked on Saturday 7 November 2026, and the council says more detail for the carols is still to come.
When are the Carols by Candlelight and what time do they start?
The City of Townsville lists Carols by Candlelight, “brought to you by Sun Metals”, for Sunday 6 December 2026 at the Riverway Complex, 20 Village Boulevard, Thuringowa Central. Entry is free, the listing runs from 4:00pm to 8:30pm, and the event is under a big top tent. The council’s schedule runs like this:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4:00pm | Gates open |
| 5:00pm | Pre-show with local dance schools and up-and-coming vocalists |
| 6:15pm | Welcome to Country, Blessing, Mayor’s Address and Defence Message |
| 6:30pm | Main show with local performers, the 1 RAR Band and the Carols Community Choir |
| 8:30pm | Event concludes |
The council tells families to bring picnic blankets and chairs. The listed highlights are performances from local singers, performers and bands, Kidz ID Alert, food trucks, market stalls and “a special visit from Santa and his elves”. Auslan interpretation is available throughout the evening. The council’s accessibility tags for the event are Auslan interpreted, disability parking, disability restroom and wheelchair accessible venue. The event is open to all ages.
Can I find parking or a bus for the carols yet?
Not yet. The council’s page ends with “Stay tuned for the full program and event map”, and it gives no parking, road closure or shuttle bus details. The Riverway listing gives the council’s contact number, 13 48 10, and its email address, enquiries@townsville.qld.gov.au, for questions. Translink’s event transport list on 7 November 2026 had no page for the carols, so there are no special event bus times to give.
What time are the Strand Night Markets on 4 December?
The Strand Night Markets run from 5:00pm to 9:30pm on Friday 4 December 2026 at Strand Park, 37 to 43 The Strand, North Ward. Entry is free. The council’s listing says the markets are held on the first Friday of each month from February until December, so 4 December is the last one of the year. The stall holders sell gifts, souvenirs, candles, soaps, arts, plants and more, and there are local food vans for dinner.
Each market also has entertainment for children, including a petting zoo, a jumping castle, an inflatable slide and a fair floss ring toss. The listing says buskers are welcome. It is tagged as dog and pet friendly, with gluten free and vegan or vegetarian food options, and service animals are welcome. The organiser lists the email townsvillerotarymarkets@gmail.com for enquiries.
What is the Black Friday Mystery Bag at Townsville Shopping Centre?
It is a prize draw that runs from Monday 23 to Saturday 28 November. To enter, spend $50 at any specialty store at Townsville Shopping Centre and upload your receipt through the entry form by 3pm on Friday 27 November. The prize pool is $1,600 in Townsville Shopping Centre gift cards, and the top prize is a $500 gift card.
| Step | What the centre says |
|---|---|
| 1. Shop and enter | Spend $50 at a specialty store and upload your receipt by 3pm Friday 27 November |
| 2. Finalists selected | HIT 103.1 contacts the selected finalists between 3pm and 5pm on Friday 27 November |
| 3. The live final | Finalists join the HIT 103.1 Outside Broadcast at the centre on Saturday 28 November |
| 4. Pick your bag | Each finalist picks a numbered mystery bag and opens it live to reveal a prize |
What are the shopping centre’s Christmas trading hours?
Townsville Shopping Centre, 310 to 330 Ross River Road, Aitkenvale, says it is “open longer” from Friday 27 November. Its usual hours are 9:00am to 5:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00am to 9:00pm on Thursday, 9:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Sunday. The centre says individual stores may trade differently, so check with your store before making a special trip. Its Christmas trading hours for 2026 are:
| Date | Centre hours |
|---|---|
| Fri 27 Nov | 8:00am to 6:00pm |
| Sat 28 Nov | 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Sun 29 Nov | 10:00am to 5:00pm |
| Mon 30 Nov to Wed 2 Dec | 9:00am to 5:30pm |
| Thu 3 Dec | 9:00am to 9:00pm |
| Fri 4 Dec | 9:00am to 5:30pm |
| Sat 5 Dec and Sun 6 Dec | 9:00am to 4:00pm |
| Mon 7 Dec to Wed 9 Dec | 9:00am to 5:30pm |
| Thu 10 Dec | 9:00am to 9:00pm |
| Fri 11 Dec | 9:00am to 6:00pm |
| Sat 12 Dec and Sun 13 Dec | 9:00am to 6:00pm |
When is the shopping centre open in Christmas week?
| Date | Centre hours |
|---|---|
| Mon 14 Dec to Sat 19 Dec | 8:00am to 6:00pm |
| Sun 20 Dec | 9:00am to 7:00pm |
| Mon 21 Dec | 8:00am to 8:00pm |
| Tue 22 Dec | 8:00am to 7:00pm |
| Wed 23 Dec | 8:00am to 6:00pm |
| Thu 24 Dec (Christmas Eve) | 8:00am to 6:00pm |
| Fri 25 Dec (Christmas Day) | Closed |
| Sat 26 Dec (Boxing Day) | 9:00am to 4:00pm |
| Sun 27 Dec | 10:00am to 4:00pm |
| Mon 28 Dec to Wed 30 Dec | 9:00am to 5:30pm |
| Thu 31 Dec (New Year’s Eve) | 9:00am to 5:30pm |
| Fri 1 Jan (New Year’s Day) | 9:00am to 4:00pm |
Three of these days overlap with other events in this guide. The centre closes at 4:00pm on Sunday 6 December, the same day as the carols, and on Friday 4 December it closes at 5:30pm, before the Strand Night Markets start at 5:00pm. On Thursdays 3 and 10 December it stays open until 9:00pm.
Where can I park at the shopping centre?
Townsville Shopping Centre says it has over 2000 free car parks, 800 of them undercover. It lists 119 spaces as 90 minute “Quick Park” spots in the ground level car park off Alfred Street. The Nathan Street car park height is 2.3m and the Alfred Street car park height is 2.1m. There are two bus interchanges, one on Elizabeth Street and one on Ross River Road, and two taxi ranks, one at the Alfred Street entrance near Woolworths and one at the Elizabeth Street entrance near Big W and the food court. You can order a taxi on 138 234. The details came from the centre’s location and parking page on 29 October 2026.
What else is on at the shopping centre this Christmas?
The centre’s Santa photos run from 14 November to 24 December, with Pet Santa and Sensory Santa sessions, and its Christmas gift wrapping is back from 12 to 24 December, with donations going to the local Salvation Army. We cover the dates, prices and booking rules in our guide to Christmas at Townsville Shopping Centre.
Sources
- City of Townsville What’s On — Carols by Candlelight 2026 (read 7 November 2026)
- City of Townsville What’s On — Strand Night Markets (read 7 November 2026)
- Townsville Shopping Centre — Festive Trading Hours (read 7 November 2026)
- Townsville Shopping Centre — Black Friday Mystery Bag (read 7 November 2026)
- Townsville Shopping Centre — Location and parking (read 29 October 2026)
- Townsville Shopping Centre — Gift wrapping (read 29 October 2026)
- Townsville Shopping Centre — Santa Photos (read 29 October 2026)
Featured image: Riverway park and recreation complex, Thuringowa (photo: Shillings1005 / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the City of Townsville, Sun Metals, the Strand Night Markets organisers, Townsville Shopping Centre or HIT 103.1. Event details can change; check the official listing before you travel.