Christmas Lights Trail

"Magical Swans" at Elizabeth Quay, 2020
"Constellation Tunnel" at Yagan Square, 2020

The Christmas Lights Trail is an annual event run by the City of Perth, in which various light displays and projections, some of which are Christmas themed, are placed in and around the Perth central business district (CBD) in Western Australia. It runs from 6 pm to 11 pm each night, from late November to late December/early January each year.[1]

The event first occurred in 2017, in which there were 16 displays around the Perth CBD and Northbridge.[2] The Christmas Lights Trail replaced the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, which had run for 18 years prior, but had to be cancelled as it involved too many people in Forrest Place, which led to concerns of crowd crushing. The Christmas Lights Trail was a better alternative as is spread out crowds.[3]

In 2018, there were 18 displays.[4]

In 2019, there were 27 displays, including a new, smaller trail at Claisebrook Cove in East Perth. The event brought in approximately 333,000 visitors to the City of Perth.[5]

In 2020, there was another new trail, this time in West Perth. There were 30 displays in total.[1]

Since 2022, the Christmas Lights Trail has been sponsored by Rio Tinto.[6]

Displays

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Some of the most popular displays include:[7]

  • "Christmas Projections" – an animated projection on the outside of St George's Cathedral
  • "Council House Kangaroos" – seven kangaroos on the lawn outside Council House
  • "Constellation Tunnel" – a 32-metre (105 ft) long tunnel in Yagan Square

References

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  1. ^ a b Rogers, Samantha (20 November 2020). "City of Perth launch Christmas Lights Trail for kids of all ages to share in the holiday cheer". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  2. ^ Emery, Kate (17 November 2017). "Perth lights trail signals brings Christmas cheer". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. ^ Caporn, Dylan; Baker, Emily (14 November 2017). "Perth's Christmas tree lighting ceremony scrapped over safety fears". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Angels on the Terrace: Perth city looking pretty with Christmas in the air". WAtoday. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Ordinary Council Meeting". City of Perth. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  6. ^ Rifici, Victoria (28 July 2022). "City of Perth council approves Rio Tinto as naming rights sponsor to this year's Christmas Lights Trail in CBD". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  7. ^ "City of Perth the Home of Christmas this festive season". City of Perth. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
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