Things to do in Murray Bridge: December 10-16, 2021

Find out about the Tailem Bend Christmas parade, Santa's arrival at Murray Bridge Marketplace and more.

Things to do in Murray Bridge: December 10-16, 2021
Maxine Kiddie and Sandy Przibilla decorate a vacant shop on Railway Terrace, Tailem Bend in the lead-up to the Christmas parade. Photo: Peri Strathearn.

Break out the decorations, the carols and your most embarassingly festive outfits – the Tailem Bend Christmas parade is coming to you this weekend.

Almost every street in the town will get an early visit from Father Christmas this Saturday night as floats once again wind their way around the place in a COVID-safe fashion.

Among those looking forward to the event are Maxine Kiddie and Sandy Przibilla, who were spotted helping historian Vicki Stevens decorate this shop window on Railway Terrace last week.

Ms Kiddie hoped more locals would do what they did on Tiller Street last year: bring out the barbecues, put the lights up and lean into the Christmassy-ness of it all.

“It’s up to people to use their own imagination and make it a party,” she said.

“Christmas is what you put into it.

“It’s about having fun.”

The parade will start at 6pm.

Santa’s Winter Wonderland will be in operation at the town hall, too, but spots are booking out fast.

A Murray Bridge performing arts school will present a production of The Snow Queen this weekend. Photo: Unlimited Feet Performing Arts/Facebook.

Friday ⛅ 23°

Using Android devices: 10am at Murray Bridge Library. Tech smart community training session for people of all ages and skill levels. Book: 8539 1175.

Winter Wonderland: 3.30-5.30pm at Tailem Bend Town Hall. Come and find Santa; visit for free or get a photo for $10. Book: www.trybooking.com.

Bridges Christmas pub night: From 5pm at Bridges Event Centre, Gifford Hill. Christmas party at Murray Bridge Racing Club featuring a visit from Santa Claus, a raffle and live music by Jordan Holmes from 7-10pm. Book: 8532 2310.

The Snow Queen: 6pm at Murray Bridge Town Hall. End-of-year performance by students from Unlimited Feet Performing Arts, repeats Saturday. Tickets: $25 at events.ticketbooth.com.au.

Barney Rebel: 6-10pm at the Bridgeport Hotel, Murray Bridge. Live music.

An exhibition from the Australian Centre of the Moving Image, about the ABC TV series Cleverman, will open in Murray Bridge on Saturday. Image: Murray Bridge Regional Gallery.

Saturday ☀ 30°

Shannon’s Motorsport Australia Festival: 9am-5pm at The Bend Motorsport Park. Hyundai Excel Challenge, Sports Car Invitational, all other racing categories withdrawn; GT Festival featuring a display of cars from the 1950s to present day.

Santa’s arrival: 10am-2pm at Murray Bridge Marketplace. A day of family fun with free face painting, balloon artist Alabaster Snowball, reindeer hunt, roaming characters, finger bun decorating and Christmas carols; photo sessions, from $10, continues Sunday and December 16-24. Book a photo session with Santa: $10 at www.eventbrite.com.au.

Cleverman: From 10am until January 30 at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery. Touring exhibition from the Australian Centre for the Moving Image about the making of the Aboriginal sci-fi TV series Cleverman, featuring costumes, props, artwork and other objects.

The Snow Queen: 12pm and 6pm at Murray Bridge Town Hall. End-of-year performance by students from Unlimited Feet Performing Arts. Tickets: $25 at events.ticketbooth.com.au.

Winter Wonderland: BOOKED OUT.

Tailem Bend Christmas parade: From 6pm on the streets of Tailem Bend. Host a street party, dress up, play some music, put up some decorations or get a group of people together and watch as Father Christmas passes by. Route map: www.google.com/maps.

Santa will arrive at Murray Bridge Marketplace on Saturday and hold special photo sessions for children with special needs and families with pets on Sunday. Photo: Murray Bridge Marketplace/Facebook.

Sunday ☀ 37°

Sensitive Santa: 8-9am at Murray Bridge Marketplace. An opportunity for children with special needs to visit Santa in a low-stress environment, before trading commences, with no music, spotlights, queues or loud noises; photo packages from $10. Bookings essential: www.eventbrite.com.au.

Santa pet photos: 9-10am at Murray Bridge Marketplace. Get a family Christmas photo with your fur babies, photo packages from $15. Bookings essential: www.eventbrite.com.au.

Santa photos: 11am-3pm at Murray Bridge Marketplace. Get a photo with Santa and his elves, photo packages from $10, continues December 16-24. Book: www.eventbrite.com.au.

Palomino Deluxe: 10am-4pm at the Imperial Football Club, Murray Bridge. Murray Bridge Country Music Club event. Admission: $12/10.

Silk painting workshop with Helen Moon: 11am-1pm at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery. Learn about painting on silk, playing with colour and experimenting with different techniques as you create two scarves, for ages 14-plus. Bookings essential: $45/40 by calling 8539 1420 or emailing m.dohnt@murraybridge.sa.gov.au.

U3A String Quartet: 2-3pm at Murray Bridge Library. Sunday Sessions live music performance.

Acoustic Highway: 2-5pm at the Bridgeport Hotel, Murray Bridge. Live music.

Seniors tennis: From 5pm at Sturt Reserve, Murray Bridge. Visitors over 30 years old welcome for twilight round robin doubles with a Christmas theme, followed by a $10 pizza tea.

Monday ⛅ 26°

Murray Bridge council meeting: 7pm at the Murray Bridge council office, 2 Seventh Street.

Tuesday ⛅ 27°

Funeral service for Peter Paech: 10.30am-12.30pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Murray Bridge. To be followed by his burial at the Bremer Road Cemetery.

Unravelling neuro-developmental and behavioural disorders: 12pm at 101 Swanport Road, Murray Bridge. Class with Chiropractic Life’s Dr Adam McKenzie. Register: www.eventbrite.com.au.

Wednesday ⛅ 37°

Thrift shop Christmas dinner: 11.30am-1pm at Murray Bridge Uniting Church. All welcome. Cost: Free or a gold coin donation.

Christmas decorations: 4-5pm at Murray Bridge Library. Make a homemade Christmas decoration, for children aged five to 12. Bookings essential: 8539 1175.

Thursday ☂ 26°

Sinatra and Friends: 11am at Murray Bridge Town Hall. Lachlan Attard and Ben Waller bring the music of Frank Sinatra and his peers to life. Tickets: $20 at events.ticketbooth.com.au.

Life stories with Peri: 2-4pm at Murray Bridge Community Centre, 18 Beatty Terrace. Put your achievements, memories or funny stories into words with Murray Bridge News journalist Peri Strathearn.

Matt Hawkins: 5-9pm at the Bridgeport Hotel, Murray Bridge. Live music.

Freedom Hill Sanctuary carols by candlelight: 7-9pm at Freedom Hill Sanctuary, 1746G Chauncey’s Line Road, Brinkley. Gather with like-minded people, watch the sunset and sing along to some favourite carols; bring your own picnic rug or chairs, vegan supper and drinks; no animal products to be brought onto the property. Tickets: $25 at www.eventbrite.com.au.w


Let Murray Bridge News know about an upcoming event by emailing peri@murraybridge.news. Events may be listed at Murray Bridge News’ discretion.