80,000 rejoice in Ipswich’s Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities
13 January 2023
More than 80,000 people are estimated to have attended the 2022 Christmas in Ipswich program of events and New Year’s Eve festivities delivered by council and a range of community groups across the city.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the festive celebrations saw family-friendly events and activities from Rosewood to Redbank Plains and every community in between.
“Ipswich residents and visitors revelled in amazing suburban light wonderlands, heart-warming community carols and finished with New Year’s Eve fireworks lighting up the skies at Chuwar, South Ripley, Ipswich Central and Springfield Central,” Mayor Harding said.
“The centrepiece of Ipswich’s celebrations was again the merry transformation of our city’s revitalised urban heart, the Nicholas Street Precinct, becoming the popular St Nicholas Precinct over nine fantastic evenings in December.
“The free family experience included plenty of live and roving entertainment, yummy festive food and almost 250 metres of wondrous lights that created a magical walk-through experience for all.”
The annual City of Ipswich Christmas Lights Competition had 73 unmissable residential and shop front displays, thousands raised their voices at community carol events, the Santa on Tour fleet cruised through more than 45 suburbs and about 48,000 people experienced the St Nicholas Precinct.
Economic and Industry Development Committee Chairperson Councillor Nicole Jonic said the city’s Christmas program featured more than two-dozen free and low-cost events for residents to come together in goodwill and joy.
“Earlier in the Christmas in Ipswich program the city’s magnificent nine-metre-tall Christmas tree lit with 8,600 fairy lights was lit and more than 1,000 Letters to Santa were posted to the North Pole by Ipswich Libraries elves,” Cr Jonic said.
“Thousands of people attended New Year’s Eve events at bars, clubs and restaurants all over Ipswich, and four community fireworks saw the skies above Ipswich burst into colour to help our city farewell 2022 with a wonderful bang.
“Be sure to check out Discover Ipswich’s website and social media pages to find fun uniquely-Ipswich activities to try and events happening in 2023.”
The Christmas in Ipswich program was delivered with the support of the following partners: Nine News Queensland, River 94.9, Stockland Providence, Energex, STRUD Property, Event Cinemas Springfield, Choices Flooring by Mallets Ipswich, Harvey Norman Booval, Premier Queensland and Pocket Retreats.