The festive spirit has well and truly taken hold in Perth, with a massive crowd of families descending on Optus Stadium in Burswood for the opening day of a free weekend Christmas celebration. The annual Christmas Festival transformed Stadium Park into a hive of holiday activity on Saturday, 20 December 2025, marking a vibrant start to the summer holiday season.
A Festive Feast of Family Fun
Children raced between colourful carnival rides, queued for face painting, and seized the magical opportunity to meet Santa Claus and his elves. Parents, meanwhile, scouted for prime positions on the amphitheatre lawn in preparation for the evening's outdoor movie screenings. Organisers predicted an attendance of roughly 8000 people each day across the weekend, with similar numbers expected for the Sunday session commencing at 4pm.
For eight-year-old Aayan Poudel, the festival was a special introduction to a Perth Christmas after recently moving from Tasmania. His mother highlighted the appeal of the event, noting the abundance of activities to keep children engaged and entertained.
Families Embrace the Holiday Vibe
The Porter family, dressed head-to-toe in Christmas attire, embodied the event's core purpose. Mother Kim Porter explained they were there to soak up the collective festive atmosphere, especially after their original plans to attend the Scarborough Carols fell through. For sisters Vivienne (5) and Eleanor (7), the highlight was unmistakable: "the movies," they yelled in unison. The family later joined others in grabbing dinner from the assortment of food vans before settling in to watch the night's featured film, The Santa Clause.
The festive joy wasn't limited to human attendees. Mel Jean and Michael Shellback arrived in matching Christmas sweaters, with their dog Amity completing the look in a seasonal bandanna. For Ms Jean, the festival offered a perfect, communal pause after a challenging year. "This is the time of year where everyone puts aside all of the stress... and get together and have some fun," she said. Mr Shellback added that the free, well-provisioned event was a great chance to connect with friends and family.
Childhood Excitement Takes Centre Stage
Young festival-goers were brimming with specific holiday hopes and favourite attractions. Seven-year-old Hunter was most excited about his meeting with Santa, planning to request a Transformers Lego set. Nearby, brothers Roman (8) and Sebastian (5) Marchesi headed straight for the Lollie Swing, with Roman declaring the "spinny" sensation as the best part.
With the festivities continuing on Sunday, Perth's Christmas Festival at Optus Stadium has successfully delivered a large-scale, accessible, and joyful community event, setting the tone for the holidays and bringing thousands together for a memorable seasonal celebration.
