Grey Street will be bathed in Christmas lights on Saturday, 28 November, when Christmas in the Highlands – Illuminations turns the Glen Innes CBD into a festive wonderland for one night only.
The annual community event runs from 5 pm to 10 pm and brings together Christmas lights, creative lighting, cultural traditions, shopping, and food. Art activations, live entertainment, markets, rides, and a street carnival atmosphere will mark the start of the holiday and summer season.
Shoppers can also take part in the Spend In Glen promotion on the night.
What began as a community Christmas event is now growing into a major regional drawcard for placemaking, culture, and the visitor economy. The event has secured three years of funding, covering 2025 to 2027, through the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, and is run in association with Glen Innes Severn Council.
Santa’s reindeer are coming back to Glen Innes and will be on the northern side of Town Hall Square from 5pm to 9pm.
Families can see the reindeer up close, with more animals at a petting zoo next door. Reindeer viewing times will be shared in the final event program.
Organisers have also hinted that Santa himself might not be far away.
Glen Innes households and businesses are being asked to put their addresses forward for the town’s first Christmas Lights Map, which will be released on Sunday, 22 November, ahead of the big night.
Nine sponsors are already on board, with plenty of prizes up for grabs across four categories:
- Best Small Display
- Best Medium Display
- Best Large Display
- Best Business Display (new this year)
The new business category invites shops to light up their windows, shopfronts, and premises for Christmas in the Highlands. One sponsor has pledged a prize specifically for the business category.
Entrants do not need the biggest display to take part, as every bit of Christmas cheer counts. To be included on the map, send your address to the organisers and say whether you are entering as a home or a business.
The Glen Innes and District Historical Society will run its annual Red Cross fundraising Christmas Tree Display in the Glen Innes Town Hall, with this year’s theme “I’m Dreaming of…”.
The display opens on Saturday, 28 November, from 9.30am to 9pm for Christmas in the Highlands, then opens daily until Saturday, 5 December.
Entry is $3 for adults and free for children under 12. Votes cost $1.
To make way for the evening’s festivities, road closures will be progressively put in place across the Glen Innes CBD from 11am on the day. Affected roads are:
- Grey Street, including sections between Meade Street and Wentworth Street
- East Avenue
- Bourke Street
Anyone heading into town should plan ahead and allow extra time.
Organisers are looking for volunteers to help with event set-up and throughout the evening. No elf experience is required.
Anyone who can spare a few hours can register their interest by emailing eventsofficer@gisc.nsw.gov.au.
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