The success of the Pageant relies heavily on members of the general public joining in. School, sporting, community and business groups, as well as individuals, are invited to take part.
The Mt Barker Christmas Festival Committee, made up of a group of dedicated volunteers (and always looking for more!), along with the generous support of the Mt Barker District Council, aims to bring together an annual event to celebrate the festivities of Christmas with the Adelaide Hills community. We are proud to say we have been doing that for 40 years.
The 2023 Mt Barker Christmas Pageant will be held on Saturday the 2nd December, with the parade leaving the Mt Barker Recreation Centre/oval on Alexandrina Rd at 10.30am, travelling through the town and finishing in Walker Street.
Group Entry:
School/community clubs and groups as well as non-profit organisations have free entry into the parade.
Businesses/commercial entities can have their own entry for a $100 fee or sponsor one of the Committees themed floats for $500. Please go to the Sponsorship page for the full details. Note – Float Sponsorship is open to any organisation.
Individual Entry:
Individuals can also take part by riding on one of the available Committee floats. When a business/organisation sponsors a float, they have the option to put their own people on it, but if they don’t take this up, we invite members of the public – school-age children, teens and adults – to join in.
Depending on which floats are available on the day, you could be Cinderella, a fireman, a Gingerbread Man, a lobster – the list goes on! How about being a banner carrier or Christmas Tree at the head of the parade? Not to mention clowns to entertain the spectators along the route.
A call for participants is put out in mid-November, so keep an eye on the Costume Try-on Dates page for the dates and times.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The pageant attracts participant numbers well in excess of 1000 people each year, and to help make the day more enjoyable, and safer, for organisers, participants and spectators, we have developed the following set of entry requirements.
Important General Note:
The Mt Barker Pageant is held during December in the Adelaide Hills, with the course stretching 1.4kms on both flat roads and long inclining slopes, and in temperatures that can range from the mid-20s to high-30s. If ANY prospective entrant is unable to have their participants comfortably walk 1.4kms on a route that includes inclines, and on a possibly hot day, the Committee recommends they look to incorporate a vehicle in their entry to carry those people. We want everyone to enjoy their day!
- A maximum of 30 walkers per entry. 1 vehicle safely carrying a larger number is permitted.
- To help maintain the smooth flow of the pageant, and in the best interests of young children, the Committee has decided that kindergarten and pre-school children will be required to ride on a vehicle. This decision has not been taken lightly and is based on feedback from previous pageants. We sincerely hope this does not prevent any group from entering; our aim is to keep the pageant flowing and an enjoyable experience for all.
- Entries will be capped at 100, with none accepted beyond the cut-off date. Unfortunately, this will also include groups that turn up on the day without a confirmed entry.
- Lollies, flowers etc are not to be thrown by participants as there are safety issues with children rushing on to the roadway into the path of the procession to gather such objects – the Committee will take no responsibility for such acts. You may however issue such items by hand. We request that any leaflets to be handed out are printed on recyclable paper.
- Alcohol will not be tolerated – either at the oval pre-pageant or being consumed by participants during the pageant.
- In the interest of safety, we cannot allow animals to enter the parade.
- Floats/entries are to be decorated in Festive/Pageant spirit.
- Commercial entities and those promoting a business are required to pay a $100 entry fee.
- Trucks and semi-trailers over 8.5m long, and large tractors, cannot be accommodated in the parade.
Entrants not willing to comply with these rules should not proceed.
IMPORTANT NOTE RE CUT-OFF DATE
Due to tight organisational time pressures, entries received after the 6th November 2023 cut-off date will not be accepted.
Confirmation of your entry will be emailed to you prior to the pageant. If you have not received this confirmation before the entry cut-off-date, then please contact us – don’t be caught out assuming “someone else” has taken care of your entry!
All participants enter at their own risk, and it is expected that all entrants conduct themselves in a safe and respectful manner.
ENTRY & PAYMENT FORMS
After taking note of the Committee requirements, please complete and return the appropriate Entry/Payment Forms via email or the post (details on the Forms), before the 6th November cut-off:
- A school/club/non-profit entity – just the Entry Form
- A business/commercial entity/Sponsor – the Entry and Payment Forms
On pageant day you will be required to be in position no later than 10.00 am – please report to a Marshal upon your arrival at the oval (Alexandrina Road entrance) to obtain your starting position / float number.
If you have any queries regarding the pageant, please contact us via email contact@mtbarkerpageant.org
