Top 13 places to celebrate Christmas in July in Australia

1. Sovereign Hill/Ballarat

• Event: Winter Wonderlights
• When: 29 June - 21 July 2019
• Cost: Adult $61, child $27.60

The mercury may be hanging around 10-14℃ at Sovereign Hill this July, but you can count on snowfall.

Replica flurries are all part of the Christmas in July Winter Wonderlights celebrations that take place throughout the month. Visitors to the festival can also listen to brass bands playing carols, watch festive plays like Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and see Main Street illuminated with fairy lights and moving Christmas images every night.

2. Blue Mountains

• Event: Yulefest
• When: June-August 2019
• Cost: Prices vary for accommodation and lunches, etc.

July weather can be frightfully cold in the Blue Mountains, so venues across the region host Yulefest and channel the warmth of Christmas to keep themselves cosy.

Christmas trees glow, real fires spit and crackle, accommodation providers offer festive packages, places like Bygone Beautys Treasured Teapot Museum & Tearooms put on hearty Christmas lunches and Santa comes to town.

3. Melbourne

• Event: Christmas in July @ Dandenong Ranges
• When: 1-31 July 2019
• Cost: Prices vary.

Inspired by the deep, crisp and even Christmas carol quality of the landscape in July, the eateries of the Dandenong Ranges in Melbourne put on a Christmas festival every year.

Venues like Sky High Mt Dandenong, The Cuckoo Restaurant, the Pig & Whistle tavern, The Ivy, Miss Marple’s Tea Room and the Wild Oak offer festive lunches and dinners, serving up turkey with all the trimmings, plum pudding and other belt-busting treats.

4. Sydney

• Events: July Market, Christmas in July lunches and Skating At Festival
• When: Throughout July
• Cost: Market entry is free, Shangri-La lunch is $85 (adults), Skating At Festival is $28 (adults)

The Rocks in Sydney uses the longer nights and the nip in the air as an excuse to host its Christmas in July Market. Quaint wooden chalets are set up along the street and the stalls bow beneath the weight of festive presents, food and bubbling vats of mulled wine.

The whole thing takes place against a soundtrack of carols. The Shangri-La hotel also joins the festivities by offering traditional Christmas lunches at Cafe Mix.

Around St Mary's Cathedral, an open air ice-skating rink opens up surrounded by magical lighting, ice slides and family-friendly fare.

Outside of the Sydney CBD you'll also uncover ice-skating festivals in Parramatta and more. For more information check out our Christmas in July in Sydney guide.

5. Thredbo

• Events: Christmas in July
• When: 3:30-4:30pm, 25 July 2019 @ Friday Flat Click Tower
• Cost: Free

What would a wintery Christmas be without snow? Nothing, that's what!

So for the true white Christmas experience head to the snows for festive celebrations and to meet our local snowboarding Santa.

Now's a good a time as any to hit the slopes with the snowfall in full swing - check out our Thredbo guide for the best flight and hotel deals to get started.

6. Perth

• Event: Christmas in July @ Metro Bar & Bistro
• When: 26-27 July 2019
• Cost: $65

For one week every July Metro Bar and Bistro in Perth gives up waiting for the real Christmas to come and puts on a festive event of its own.

The practice party season event includes a three-course meal, endless cocktails and dancing late into the night.

7. Brisbane and wider Queensland

• Events: Christmas in July cruises and feasts
• When: Throughout July
• Cost: Prices vary

Christmas does not come but once a year in Queensland. Every July, venues all over the state get out the tinsel to celebrate an early yuletide. Kookaburra Showboat puts on Christmas cruises with festive buffet feasts and live entertainment.

Abbey of the Roses, in Warwick, lays on a series of three course festive dinners with Christmas trivia and secret santas. The Golden Ox in Margate (pictured) sets up a Snow Dome to welcome guests for a night of eating, drinking and merrymaking.

Image: http://www.murrumbatemanwinery.com.au/

8. Canberra

• Event: Christmas in July feasts
• When: Throughout July
• Cost: Depends on event

You'll have to travel a little out of Canberra to tuck into its Christmas in July celebrations so make a day-trip of it to visit the nearby farms and wineries that are hosting winter warming meals for the season.

9. Gold Coast

• Event: Christmas in July @ QT Hotels and Resorts
• When: 25 July 2019
• Cost: Adult $79.50

Dashes of red and green crop up on the Gold Coast in July. Prepare yourselves to indulge in a Christmas in July feast in QT Hotels and Resorts.

10. Queanbeyan

• Event: Winter Dream festival
• When: 7 July 2019
• Cost: Free

It'll begin to look at lot like Christmas at 10am on 7 July in Queanbeyan this year.

Taking place at The Showground, the annual Winter Dream festival will feature 200 festive market stalls, selling everything from hearty Christmas food to art.

Plus, there will be a fake snow area, carriage rides and an appearance from Santa.

11. Hunter Valley

• Event: Snow Time in the Garden
• When: 29 June - 21 July 2019
• Cost: $34 (adult), $25 (child)

There's no business like snow business and when winter rears its cold head the Hunter Valley turns into a frosty festival of activities such as ice skating, tobogganing, snow play zone, 9D snow adventure, live entertainment and face painting.

In true winter festival style, you can take a break from all the fun and warm up to a wide variety of warm drinks and hearty foods.

12. Geelong

• Event: Traditional Christmas in July
• When: 16 and 23 July 2019
• Cost: $30

Get your tummy ready for special three course Christmas themed event prepared by Gordon cookery students at the Davidson Restaurant.

13. Sunshine Coast

• Event: Christmas in July @ Flaxton Gardens
• When: 1-31 July 2019
• Cost: A la carte

For one day in July the Sunshine Coast doesn’t quite live up to its name.

This year, Flaxton Gardens is hosting a July-long feast where punters can tuck into a series of entrees, mains and desserts that are warm, hearty and, for the most part, gluten free.

Expect delicious dishes like confit duck, rosti potato with apricot and port jus. Tuck in.