Only five Christmas carols events going ahead amid a citywide festive shutdown

Just five Christmas carol events have been left standing so far in metro Adelaide after a host of councils cancelled or modified their traditional festive events.

Just five Christmas carols events have been left standing this year in Adelaide, after a host of councils cancelled or modified their traditional festive events.

Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council has cancelled its Christmas Pageant, Port Adelaide Enfield’s Twilight Parade has been axed, while Playford and Marion councils have also put a line through their carols for 2021 due to uncertainty around Covid-19 restrictions.

Elder Park’s Carols by Candelight could be delivered in a different format with Novita chief executive officer Greg Ward saying the event was still in the planning stages, with a decision to be made early next month.

Carols by Candlelight was held as a virtual event last year.

The widespread shutdown also includes the Salisbury Community Christmas Parade, which has been canned for the second year running,

Salisbury Business Association executive officer David Waylen said he was “saddened” to scrap the event which traditionally attracted more than 10,000 people to Salisbury’s city centre.

Tea Tree Gully Council’s Civic Park Carols has been capped at 10,000 attendees. Picture: Tea Tree Gully Council.

He said despite removing “all ancillary activities” such as amusements, rides, market stalls, a Santa’s cave and barbecues to “reduce the complex nature” of the event and restrict movement, the event presented “too great a risk to community safety”.

He said he did not know when SA Health would approve or decline its Covid management plan.

“However, they did advise it would not be more than three to four weeks prior to the event, which is totally unacceptable from our perspective,” Mr Waylen said.

“We are bitterly disappointed, but the association had no other option but to cancel this community event.”

Meanwhile, Tea Tree Gully Council has capped its Civic Park Carols at 10,000 punters while Mitcham Council’s Carols at Kingswood Oval on November 27, West Lakes Carols and the Prospect Carols in the Park on December 3, are going ahead.

The Glenelg Brass Band’s Mike Parker, Lesley Sheath, Terry Stewart, Nathan Wessling, Rebecca Musik, Mark Simpson, Anne May and Gunter Mauch ahead of the 2019 Glenelg Christmas Carols.. Picture: AAP/ Keryn Stevens.

Prospect Carols spokeswoman Doris Henderson said she had “everything crossed” for the Memorial Gardens show to continue, depending on SA Health advice, with around 600 people expected to attend.

It would just be the second event in the past five years with the 2017 and 19 editions rained out and cancelled last year due to Covid-19.

Adelaide’s Christmas Pageant will also return to the Adelaide Oval on November 13.

Tea Tree Gully Council’s Civic Park Carols traditionally attracted more than 40,000 people. Picture: Tea Tree Gully Council.

Amy Sandery, Carlos Bay, Claudia Girardo and Emily Gray before the 2018 Carols by Candlelight at Elder Park. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe.

A Charles Sturt Council spokeswoman said Henley Square carols had been scratched and was awaiting notification from the organisers of the St Clair carols.

Apex Club of Gawler has also abandoned its carols with spokeswoman Bronte Rhodes saying she was “very disappointed” to axe the event for the second year running.

The Stirling and Woodside Christmas pageants, and the Lights of Lobethal Pageant, are expected to be proceed but in a modified way, while Onkaparinga Council has cancelled its annual pageant.

Onkaparinga Council will hold a Christmas fair in early December at the Christies Beach Football Club, but there is no set date yet.

Holdfast Bay has repackaged its traditional Glenelg Christmas Pageant as a two-day “Christmas at the Bay”, across November 27 and 28, while Burnside is reviewing its carols event.

Cooperating Churches, which runs carols in West Torrens Council, and Walkerville, Unley and Campbelltown councils were contacted for comment.

Campbelltown’s carols and parade were cancelled last year.

SA Health said it had met with metropolitan council representatives to provide advice and assistance for Covid management plan events, including Christmas carols.

“These comprehensive plans are site-specific and take into account current health risks to address how a high-risk activity will be managed through density and distancing requirements, to ensure contact tracing can be managed to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission within South Australia,” a spokeswoman said.

“SA Health works closely with organisers of many different types of events who submit CMPs, to ensure an approved plan includes individual risk mitigation strategies linked to the specific event and venue.”