Community groups and businesses wishing to take part in the Villawood 2024 Gawler Christmas Parade have only to the end of this week to get their registrations in (Friday, 16 August).

Interest for this year’s event has been strong again, but Member for Light, Tony Piccolo MP, is doing one final callout to the community to ensure everyone has a chance to participate.

“We’ve got many familiar faces who have put their hands up to return this year,” said Mr Piccolo.

“The feedback from participants last year was that of pride to be able to bring so much joy to the hundreds of families in attendance through the main street, but also the amount of fun that was had was contagious across the floats.

“It’d be great to have more in our community have the opportunity to experience that and after hearing a lot of people telling us they regret not participating last year, this is a reminder to not make the same mistake twice.”

The return of the parade last year saw 40 different organisations march down Murray Street, but the 2024 event is set to be bigger with the Gawler Apex Community Christmas Markets taking place on the same day.

From 5-9pm at Apex Park (Julian Terrace, Gawler), families can check out the local stalls, hospitality vendors and entertainers, then head to Murray Street (between Calton and Lyndoch Roads) for the 7pm parade.

Following the parade, participants, including Santa Claus, will be at Apex Park to meet with all the families present before the night ends with Rotary Gawler Light lighting up their Riverbank Christmas Display at 8.45pm.

Mr Piccolo thanked all the sponsors – Villawood, Town of Gawler, Business Gawler (formerly Gawler Business Development Group), Gawler Central Shopping Centre, Gawler Mitre 10 and Beyond Bank) – and participants who are helping to keep the parade and the community Christmas spirit alive in Gawler.