Key dates for the 2026 festive season

In October 2026, Council endorsed the following end-of-year closure dates for Council facilities for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Council’s main offices, libraries and depots will be closed from 12 pm Thursday, 24 December 2026 and will reopen at 9 am on Monday, 4 January 2027.

During this time Council will operate using out-of-hours services. Call 8555 7000 for urgent matters.

Council’s Visitor Information Services, the Signal Point Experience Centre and the South Coast Regional Arts Centre will remain open during this holiday period, except for the following public holidays:

• The Signal Point Experience Centre and the South Coast Regional Arts Centre will be closed on Christmas Day, 25 December 2026; Boxing Day, 26 December 2026 and New Year's Day, 1 January 2027. 
• The Visitor Information Services (Goolwa & Strathalbyn) will be closed on Christmas Day, 25 December 2026, and Boxing Day, 26 December 2026 and New Year's Day, 1 January 2027.

The holiday season is fast approaching, with community groups organising various events including:

• Middleton Christmas in the Park is on Sunday 29 November, from 11am at Abbotts Reserve, with live music and carols, a free sausage sizzle and kids’ crafts and games.
• Goolwa Christmas Pageant is on 6 December at 10.30am, starting from the Goolwa Sports Stadium, along Goyder, Hay and Cadell Street and finishing on Gardiner Street. For further information see Goolwa Community Association Facebook page or email goolwaccpageant@gmail.com). There will be a sausage sizzle and other festivities at Arthur Neighbour reserve after the pageant.
• Christmas Where the Angas Flows in the Soldiers Memorial Gardens, Strathalbyn, Friday 11 December 2026, 2-10pm.
  Food stalls from 2pm, and children's games and free rides start from 4pm. Pageant 6pm, carols and entertainment 7.30pm, and fireworks 9.30pm.
• Port Elliot Carols in the Park Tuesday, 15 December in the Park adjacent the Old Council Building on The Strand commencing at 5pm. Food stalls, carols and visit from Santa.
• Goolwa Christmas Concert, Lights and Lanterns on 19 December 2026. Concert at Jaralde Park followed by the flotilla. Event from 6pm to 10pm. (Goolwa Community Association Facebook or email goolwaccpageant@gmail.com)
• Christmas Feast in the Park on 20 December at the Rotunda, Strathalbyn from 3-5pm. Feast of food, festivities, face painting and Christmas music, gold coin per person everyone welcome. Compassion Strathalbyn VIneyard for  further details.
• New Year’s Eve Goolwa Fireworks and Concert Thursday 31 December 2026, NYE concert at Jaralde Park from 6pm followed by Fireworks off the bridge. (Goolwa Community Association Facebook or email goolwaccpageant@gmail.com)

Council supports a range of community events through our grants and contributions programs.  This includes offering Community Christmas Event Contributions to support large-scale Christmas events in Strathalbyn and Goolwa, providing financial support for traffic management and other costs related to event delivery.

Please be aware that various temporary road closures and/or speed restrictions can be in place during these events. To find out impacted roads and closure times, visit our Event Restrictions webpage. 

Dry Area restrictions may apply at various locations throughout the Alexandrina Council district during events. For current information on designated Dry Areas, including locations and operating times, please visit Council's Dry Zones webpage.