There’s nothing quite like a sultry Sydney Christmas. The city buzzes in anticipation of festive get-togethers with friends and family, followed by the glorious respite of summer holidays.

In 2021, the city lights up – literally – with holiday cheer as a series of Christmas events unfold across the CBD, from carolling choirs to a digital light extravaganza at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Here are six not-to-miss Christmas experiences in Sydney this festive season.

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Golden Christmas
The Exchange – a spiralling, six-storey building clad in ribbons of timber designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma – is the impressive backdrop for this magical Christmas lights installation. Golden Christmas is a tunnel of fairy lights that will enchant the kids and win over any adult Scrooge with its irresistible holiday cheer. Visit the outdoor installation at Darling Square in Haymarket. It’s open every day 8am to 10pm from Tuesday, November 23 to Sunday, January 9.

Golden Christmas
Darling Square, 35 Tumbalong Boulevard, Haymarket

Martin Place Christmas Tree
Martin Place Christmas Tree has the distinction of being the tallest in New South Wales. The numbers give underline its grand scale: its branches are covered in more than 110,000 LED lights, 330 specially created glossy baubles, and 15,000 flowers representing nine different kinds of Australian flora: banksia, waratah, bottlebrush, wattle, eucalyptus gum flower, kangaroo paw, flannel flower, pink waxflower and white waxflower. Crowning the tree is a 3.4-metre colour-changing star. Adding to the magic are 4,000 fairy lights strung across Martin Place. Visit the tree between Saturday, November 27 and Saturday, January 1.

Martin Place Christmas Tree

Martin Place, Sydney

Choirs in the City
What’s Christmas without a spot of carolling? The Martin Place Christmas Tree will host some of the city’s most talented and sweetest sounding choirs during the festive season. Sing up a storm with the likes of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, the Sydney Street Choir, the Sydney Philharmonia Choir and the Australian Girls Choir. Catch the carols 6pm to 8pm from December 1 to 24 – check the City of Sydney website to find out who’s singing when.
Choirs in the City
Martin Place, Sydney

Lights of Christmas
The spectacular centrepiece of the city’s Christmas festivities. Lights of Christmas – a dazzling digital light show that illuminates the façade of St Mary’s Cathedral – is a favourite festive tradition among families, locals and tourists alike. The theme of this year’s display is – fittingly – home, somewhere we all spent a lot of time in 2021. Between Thursday, December 9 and Saturday, December 25, choirs will entertain the crowd each night from 7.30pm until 8.30pm, when the lights are switched on.

Lights of Christmas
St Mary’s Cathedral Square, College Street, Sydney

Darling Harbour Christmas
Darling Harbour is dialling up the Christmas celebrations to eleven this year with a series of Insta-worthy installations in place from November 12 to December 26. On land, there’s a six-metre-tall Christmas bauble lit up in multi-coloured lights, human-size Christmas presents decorated in silver and pink, and Sky Castle, an interactive light sculpture. On the water, 13 floating Christmas baubles will bob about off Cockle Bay Wharf – hire a pedal boat for a closer look. Tumbalong Park will host four days of Christmas festivities featuring family-friendly music, entertainment and food.

Darling Harbour Christmas

Darling Harbour, Sydney

The Rocks Christmas Markets

The cobbled streets of The Rocks will host its famous Christmas market in 2021 from Friday December 3 until Sunday December 19. Find one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts at the many stalls run by local artisans, creatives and small businesses. Street performers, live music and gourmet food stalls add to the holiday cheer. Sip on eggnog and see if you can spot one of the elves on stilts.

The Rocks Christmas Markets

Playfair Street, The Rocks

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with City of Sydney. Find more about where to shop, eat and explore in the City of Sydney this Christmas.