The Advertiser’s Top 10 SA Christmas lights locations you must not miss!
So you want to check out SA’s most dazzling Christmas lights but don’t have time to waste finding the best of the best? We’ve done the hard work for you with these must-not-miss locations.
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Asking us to choose the best Christmas lights in SA is like asking us to pick our favourite child - we love them all equally!
But with more than 100 dazzling displays now featured on our 2020 SA Christmas lights map, we know that finding the most spectacular displays - the very best of the best - can feel too much like hard work.
So to make it a little easier for you to plan a Christmas lights adventure for your family, we’re highlighting 10 sensational displays you must not miss.
The 10 displays we’ve selected are on this list because, individually, they stand out from the crowd, because they’re a little different from your average display or because they are one of a number of displays in a town or street that make a visit there well worth your while.
We’ve also relied on the terrific photos sent in by readers to our Christmas Lights page to help us compile this list of the best locations.
So in no particular order, our top picks are...
1. BILL & PEG’S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DISPLAY
If you’re looking for an individual display that will take your breath away, it’s hard to go past Bill & Peg Chartres’ amazing lights at the appropriately named 5 Christmas Lane in Lobethal. COVID has sadly put the brakes on Lobethal’s usual annual lights festival this year, but Bill & Peg are keeping the Christmas spirit alive at their place. Read more about Bill & Peg’s brilliant display.
2. MOUNT GAMBIER - SEVERAL LOCATIONS
Look, we know it’s cheating but we tried to tell you choosing the best display locations was hard, so we’re going to go ahead and call out a whole town. The good people of Mount Gambier have really outdone themselves this year with 17 of the 114 displays currently listed on the map hailing from the beautiful south east town with the big Blue Lake in the middle. The displays are all over town, so just zoom in on the map to check them out.
3. THE MORE THE MERRIER!
Good Christmas lights displays are about individual effort but they’re also about the power of community. This year, like every year, there are several locations across SA where you can enjoy multiple lights displays in the one place. That’s where neighbours become good friends.
4. THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE!
Yeah, yeah the plot in Star Wars is important and all but really, what is Star Wars about if not awesome flashing lights? Andrew at 30 Gardiner Avenue, Warradale knows that. That’s why he’s turned his home into a dazzling homage to the movie franchise, with all your favourite characters including R2D2, BB-8, Yoda, the Millennium Falcon and a big STAR WARS sign on the roof so you can’t miss it. Awesome. “Take a trip through hyperspace this Christmas and pay us a visit. May the festivities be with you!”, says Andrew. You might also bump into another major Star Wars character with a husky voice out at 52 Alawoona Road, Munno Para.
5. A DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS
If Star Wars is not your thing, maybe we can interest you in a Christmas lights display dedicated to another time-traveller - Dr Who. This display at 3 Tilly Street Mount Barker features a life-size Tardis to transport you to anywhere your imagination can take you. Your host, Rachael, tells us her display is based on the Christmas episode “Doctor Who and the Snowmen from 2013 starring Matt Smith”. We wonder if the Tardis can take us back to a time before all this COVID nonsense? Sigh.
6. DRUIDS AVENUE MOUNT BARKER
If there’s anything we enjoy more than Christmas lights, it’s a Christmas movie, and the folks at 17 Druids Ave, Mount Barker have brought these wonderful traditions together in the one place! Besides putting on a bright display with reindeer and music, they’re also showing Christmas movies on a projector on selected weekend nights. Who’s bringing the popcorn?
7. WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR
A trip to Anaheim might be off the cards right now but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat the kids to a bit of Disney magic this Christmas. One way to do that is by taking a drive to 55 Chelmsford St, Craigmore to see this unique Disney-themed display. Organiser Melanie tells us visitors to her display will be treated to special guest appearances from all sorts of characters from Princesses to Superheroes and can also enjoy raffles, lucky dips, fairy floss and snow cones and, even better, all the proceeds go to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. “It’s fun for all ages done in a COVID-safe way,” says Melanie.
8. ALL ABOARD
Do you have your own toy train that circles your garden? Hmm? No, didn’t think so. The folks at 59 Ridge Road, Murray Bridge and Koonya Avenue, Seaford do! And that’s why we reckon their displays are worthy of a mention on this list. Michael and Maxine at Murray Bridge also have a Santa’s Cave and if you’re lucky you may be able to catch Santa at home. And they’re celebrating 30 years of their display this year so head up the road and congratulate them on their amazing achievement.
9. GET YOUR GROOVE ON
Lights are lovely to look at but lights PLUS music? Now you’re talking! Organiser Nick will help you get your groove on with a display that is synchronised to music at 9pm and 10pm on weeknights and 11pm on weekends. And, because it’s 2020, you can enjoy this sound and light spectacular in a COVID safe way, from the comfort of your car by tuning into the music on 101.1FM. Sounds good to us.
10. FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Again, we’re cheating here a bit - this isn’t a single location - but we couldn’t wind up this list without drawing attention to the many SA displays raising money for charity in a year when so many South Australians are doing it tough and can use a hand. So if you’re in the neighbourhood, make sure you pop a few coins in the bucket at these locations.
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