The magic returns this July!
Come and be part of the Greytown Festival of Christmas this July, as we celebrate with a month-long programme of spectacular lights, Night Markets, workshops, events, Matariki activities, parties, food and family fun.
The festival has quickly grown into a new tradition, one that has all the hallmarks of a Northern Hemisphere winter escape, with our own kiwi flavour. It brings together families, school children, community groups and locals, and attracts people from all around New Zealand to eat, drink, shop and celebrate here in our village.
This year’s festival theme is Gingerbread. It’s delicious. It’s fun. It will get your tastebuds going. So, start your planning now, and make sure you’re part of the festivities.
Here are some family friendly activities for the kids during our Festival of Christmas.
The Big Switch
Be on Main Street at 6pm on Friday 1st July, for an opening night like no other.
With an opening night like no other! The festivities will start with a magical fireworks display that will leave you in awe and wonder! Following this we will turn all the spectacular lights on for the first time. See sparkly lights, world-class projections on some of our bigger buildings, and festoons lighting up the village, plus enjoy live music and entertainment from the Town Hall.
While you're in town, grab a bite to eat from one of our great family friendly restaurants, or pick up something at our European Style Night Markets, taking place from 3pm every Friday and Saturday for the month of July.
The Great Gingerbread Hunt
Make your way around the Greytown streets, in search for the near-extinct, brightly lit 8-foot gingerbread men. How many can you find? Go quietly so as not to scare them! Enter the competition and go in the draw for some great prizes. Brought to you by Dave and Jennah of Property Brokers, this will be a fun activity for the whole family.
Family Fun at Cobblestones
Cobblestones will again be front and centre for family-friendly entertainment, with a different theme every Saturday. Amongst the line-up are The Country Village Fete and A Very Victorian Christmas. There will be old fashioned games, stilt walking, wooden toy workshops, market stalls with their locally produced handicrafts and goodies, and of course The Great Gingerbread Bake Off. Plus, you won’t go hungry, with Cobblestones Café serving up delicious homemade fare every Saturday. Think Christmas mince pies, mulled wine, cheese rolls and other delights.
The White Swan brings you...The Great Greytown Scavenger Hunt.
Search for Gingerbread people in the windows of our favourite Greytown stores. There are 10 of them to find. Pick up your entry form from The White Swan, jot down their names (you will find them on each poster), and bring your completed form back to The White Swan to receive a free juice, fizzy or pink water!
Sweet activities with Greytown Honey
Come and have fun choosing your own fabric for a beeswax foodwrap, make it, and package it as well! After that you will have a go at labelling and filling your very own jar of honey to take home before finishing off painting a bathbomb!
Shoc Kids Chocolate Discovery Workshops
Get behind the scenes of Schoc Chocolates and create your own unique chocolate creatures. Learn some tips and tricks and most importantly taste chocolate. Suitable for children 8 - 13 years.
Schoc Chocolates is a unique artisan chocolate studio located in a super cute colonial cottage on the Main Street of Greytown, next to Cobblestones Museum.
Carols by candlelight
Come enjoy a festive evening as we sing carols by candlelight!
While you're there take a moment to vote for your favourite Christmas tree inside the church. Each tree has been decorated by a local company. The tree with the most votes wins a donation to a local charity of that company's choice.
The newly redecorated church will be open from 6:30pm with the carols beginning at 7pm. Come enjoy the historic Greytown gum tree and oak trees, the mid-winter festival lightshow, the beautifully decorated Christmas trees and some carols by candlelight
Everynight Main Street Glow
Every night from 5.30pm, our Main Street will be glowing with spectacular lighting displays. Stroll along each evening at your leisure and see the town at its prettiest. There will be sparkly lights, world-class projections on some of our bigger buildings and decorations and festoon lighting, creating a special festive atmosphere.
Be sure to check out the entire programme for workshops, fun and activities for the entire family.