Festive season decorations
Published on 29 November 2024
For the 2024 festive season, Council’s Economic Development Unit is piloting an approach that balances traditional Christmas with local activation and enhanced sustainability.
Traditional Christmas trees and decorations were installed by Council across the municipality in the following locations:
- Large Christmas tree, Preston Town Hall
- Large Christmas tree, Broadway Reservoir
- Medium Christmas trees, outside Libraries in Preston, Northcote and Fairfield
- Small Christmas Trees, corner Miller and Gilbert Preston.
Traditional Christmas displays and decorations maintain a strong presence in Darebin’s key activity centres and selected shopping strips, delivered by Darebin’s four Trader’s Associations (Preston, Northcote, Fairfield & Reservoir) with each receiving a $5k budget as per previous years.
A pilot is being undertaken to increase community benefit and reduce waste impacts from Council’s festive season resources. This approach will see the $23k budget associated with festive bin wraps (single use plastic items) reallocated to community-wide activations, performances and creative workshop across 15 locations and 9 Council wards.
The vibrant and inclusive activations include festive displays, pop-up music and circus performances in public places, upcycling workshops, and interactive installations, delivered from 19 November and onwards throughout the season.
We’re proud that 100% of artists engaged are local.
Festive season activation program 2024
Festive music and performances across Darebin, 30 November – 19 December:
- Preston Town Hall
- Northcote Town Hall
- Broadway, Reservoir
- Cnr Miller and Gilbert, Preston
- Cnr Regent and Gilbert, Preston
- Keon Park Train Station
- Keon Park Community Hub
- Fairfield Village
- The Bridge, Preston
Interactive Reindeer installation at Northcote Town Hall with lighting, from 19 December.
Festive Window Activations with local artists at Link Street Shopping Centre, Kingsbury.
Festive interactive wall art:
- Keon Park Community Hub
- Cono Gelato, Reservoir
- Fairfield Library
- Preston Market
- Kids on Broadway, Broadway
- Miller and Gilbert Shopping Centre
- Oakhill Shopping Centre
Community Workshops ‘Make your own recycled gift bag’ led by local upcycling artist:
- Fairfield Library Sat 7 Dec
- Preston Library Sun 8 Dec
- Reservoir Library Sat 14 Dec
- Northcote Library Sun 15 Dec
‘Darebin Celebrates’ gift tags printed and available from civic locations.
The evaluation outcomes from the pilot will inform the review of the Darebin Christmas Decorations 2011-2015 Policy in mid 2025.
A comprehensive communication campaign will celebrate the festive season in Darebin by embracing our community’s rich cultural diversity and highlighting the uniquely Australian things we love about this time of year.
Tactics include social media videos, printed circular postcards that can be used as gift tags, posters, shopfront decals, a dedicated web page listing events and opportunities to connect throughout November, December and January, and 10 real estate boards across Darebin.