Adelaide’s Big Santa coming back to CBD

Big Santa will be back watching over the CBD within days – but his saviour Cosi says fixing up the old man wasn’t as easy as he’d hoped.

Businessman Lance Vater and TV personality Cosi Costello in front of Big Santa's black boots. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

There are only six more sleeps to go before Giant Santa makes his return to the streets of Adelaide.

The big guy in red has had a complete makeover in preparation for his comeback on Sunday, when he will once again be hung on the side of heritage-listed Federal Hall at the Adelaide Central Market.

Cosi with components of Giant Santa at Kilburn. Picture: Supplied

Giant Santa on the side of the Central Market. Picture: Supplied

The 15m-high fibreglass, wooden and metal figure was languishing in a shed at Kilburn facing an one-way trip to landfill when he was saved by media personality Andrew “Cosi” Costello.

He embarked on a challenging campaign to return him to the city for this year’s festive season, which officially kicks off with the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant on Saturday, November 12.

Costello – who used donated labour, materials and a $45,000 donation from a self-made millionaire, Lance Vater to refurbish a tired Santa – said he was delivering on a promise.

“I believe it is really important that when you say you are going to do something, you do it,” he said.

“I didn’t realise how hard it was going to be but we’ve done it. Santa will be back for Christmas.”

Big Santa in his former storage facility at Kilburn before his new paint job. Picture: Colin James

Among the obstacles Costello had to overcome was finding a new Magic Cave for Santa when his home for four years needed a new roof.

The various components which make up the huge figure – his big black boots, torso, head and left hand – had been stored in a large warehouse at Islington owned by civil construction giant McMahon Services since he was last taken down from the Central Market in 2018.

“One of the biggest costs for Santa has been storage and finding somewhere for him to move to was really causing problems,” said Costello.

The problem was solved when Mr Vater intervened, not only spending $45,000 on a dinner for 10 with Premier Peter Malinauskas at a fundraising event organised by Costello at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre but helping relocate Santa to another storage facility owned by Bianco Construction at Cavan.

Businessman Lance Vater and TV personality Cosi Costello on Santa's black boots. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“Lance has just been fantastic,” said Costello. “Without him, none of us this would have been possible.”

Mr Vater and his wife, Lissi Whyte, will be among guests who have been invited to a street party between 10am and 2pm on Sunday at the Metropolitan Hotel on Grote St to watch cranes lift Santa back onto the Central Market.

“We’re hoping parents will want to come along with kids to watch the big guy go up while having a couple of cold ones, a few soft drinks and some snags,” said Costello.

“It’s always been a tradition to put up Santa the week before the Christmas Pageant and that’s what we are going to do.

“I don’t know how we got there but we have. It’s a real credit to my team and all the various companies who helped us. I can’t thank them all enough.”

Parts of Grote St will be closed by the Adelaide City Council on Sunday while Santa is erected so motorists are asked to avoid the area.