Media response - Christmas lights competition

Published on 07 November 2025

Enquiry - ABC Radio Adelaide

The producer asked for information and requested an interview about claims made on social media that the Mayor's Christmas Lights Competition had been "permanently" cancelled for the "first time in decades".

Response

The Mayor’s Christmas Lights Competition began in 2013 and hasn’t been held every year. It didn’t take place in 2014, 2018, 2022 (during election years), or last year – and isn’t planned for 2025.

This year, like most years, we’ll publish a Christmas Lights Display Map on our website, so families can plan a night out to see all the fantastic displays across our suburbs. We encourage those who want to share their festive lights displays with the community to add their address to the map once it’s live on the site! We’ll also celebrate their efforts on other council channels including social media to help spread Christmas cheer.

The Christmas Lights Display Map is just one way we celebrate Christmas in Onkaparinga, including the iconic free City of Onkaparinga Christmas Pageant and Christmas in the Park (in Christies Beach on Sunday 23 November); Christmas events and workshops at our libraries and community, youth and positive ageing centres; and our annual Onkaparinga Christmas Tree, where residents can donate gifts at several council locations so they can be distributed to the less fortunate.

A Mayors Civic Events Review is conducted each January with Onkaparinga’s mayor and in 2024, Mayor Were chose to focus on other initiatives including the inaugural Mayor’s Drawing Competition, which has seen close to 200 entries from 4–12-year-olds in 2024 and 2025. Other awards presented by the mayor include the Mayor’s Writing and Poetry Competition (launched in 2024), which helps foster the local literary community; the Mayor’s Reconciliation Week Recognition Awards; and Mayor’s Garden Competition.

There are no plans to “permanently cancel” the Christmas Lights Competition given the nature of this annual events review.

ENDS