Here’s Where To Celebrate Christmas In July Around Brisbane This Year

’Tis the season to celebrate Christmas in July. With Brisbane’s crisp winter days finally here, it’s the perfect excuse to embrace the festive spirit, sans the sweltering December heat. Think ugly sweaters, indulgent feasts, mulled wine and decadent hot chocolates.

Luckily, Brisbane is pulling out all the stops for the mid-year festivities. From lavish banquets and igloo pop-ups to themed parties packed with seasonal cheer, we’ve rounded up the very best ways to celebrate Christmas in July this year.

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• Christmas in July feasts
• Christmas in July events and activities

Christmas In July Feasts  

E'cco Bistro

63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead

If your ideal Christmas in July involves a long lunch with exceptional food, book a table at Newstead’s E'cco Bistro. Across 18 and 25 July, renowned chefs Philip Johnson and Cauã Melo are serving up a festive three-course feast coming in at $110 per person. 

So, what’s on the menu? Artisanal bread with house-smoked butter, char-grilled Mooloolaba prawns and creamy burrata kick things off, followed by slow-roasted pork belly and roasted turkey breast with all the festive trimmings—think twice-cooked kipfler potatoes and a fruit-laden goat's cheese salad. Dessert arrives in the form of a classic Christmas trifle topped with berry compote, toasted hazelnuts and Frangelico cream. Save us a seat

Stamford Plaza

39 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD

Image credit: Stamford Plaza | Instagram

Get your festive fix in the heart of the CBD at Stamford Plaza's Christmas In July buffet. Taking place exclusively on 11 July, the generous spread features a soup and bread station, cold salads, chilled seafoods (starring Pacific Rock oysters and green lip mussels), charcuterie boards and slow-roasted carvery favourites. 

If that wasn’t enough, there’s also an impressive lineup of Christmas-themed desserts. Choose from raspberry chocolate mousse yule log, Christmas chocolate eclairs and passionfruit and coconut pavlova, or dip churros, marshmallows and fruits into a red chocolate fountain. Reservations start at $188 per adult, with the option of adding a three-hour beverage package to toast the mid-year silly season in style. 

Gilhooley’s Irish Pub

Albert Street & Charlotte Street, Brisbane CBD

Gilhooley's is bringing plenty of Irish cheer to Christmas in July, with holiday celebrations taking over the city’s beloved pub every Sunday throughout the month. Expect hearty plates of roast turkey and honey-glazed ham for $29, plus seasonal favourites such as mulled wine, Irish coffee and a $12 Christmas pudding and trifle with brandy cream. Add live music, pub singalongs and prizes for the best (and worst) ugly Christmas sweaters, and you've got yourself a very merry Sunday session.

Crown Hotel

446 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche

Image credit: Crown Hotel | Supplied

If you're chasing all the Christmas comfort food without the December rush, Crown Hotel has you covered. Throughout July, this sleek local pub is dishing up a festive two-course feast for lunch and dinner, complete with joyful table decorations. Dig into a traditional roast complete with ham, turkey and baked seasonal vegetables before rounding things out with a hefty serve of pudding with brandy custard.

You’ll want to throw on your silliest festive knit to take part in the Ugly Sweater Competition (the prize? Bragging rights, of course). At just $35 per person, the Crown Hotel’s themed menu is one of the most affordable ways to satisfy your Christmas cravings this winter.  

Fitzy’s

Bryants Road and Pacific Highway, Loganholme

Image credit: Fitzy's | Supplied

Rally the crew and head south for a Christmas in July feast at Fitzy’s. Perfect for work groups, family catch-ups or a festive feast with friends, the Loganholme pub is serving up a traditional spread all month long.

The two-course menu ($35 per person) features roast turkey and honey-glazed ham with roast potato, pumpkin, green beans, cranberry sauce and gravy, before finishing with your choice of pavlova topped with fresh fruit and cream or plum pudding with custard and berries. Want to make it extra sweet? Upgrade to the three-course option ($45 per person), kicking things off with a classic prawn cocktail before the main event.  

Christmas In July Events And Activities

Oasis

City Botanic Gardens River Hub, Brisbane CBD

Image credit: Oasis | Website

Swap chestnuts roasting on an open fire for cocktails flowing on the Brisbane River at Oasis's Christmas In July party. On 25 July, this floating celebration will take over all three levels of the vessel with festive lighting, Christmas-themed decor and a dress code that encourages guests to lean into the holiday spirit.

A specially curated menu of share plates and Christmas-inspired bites will be available throughout the night, alongside novelty festive cocktails. On the decks, DJs will be spinning house, R&B and nostalgic throwback anthems, with plenty of Christmas classics thrown into the mix. Tickets start from just $21 for general admission, with the Oasis cruising from 7pm to 11:30pm. 

Sirromet Winery

850 Mount Cotton Road, Mount Cotton

Image credit: Sirromet Winery | Supplied

If twinkling Christmas lights are your favourite part of the festive season, bookmark Sirromet Winery's Luna Lights experience. Set among the rolling vineyards and bushland of Mount Cotton, this after-dark spectacle transforms the estate into a wonderland of illuminated trails, holograms, lasers and immersive light installations. 

Arrive early for dinner on the Tuscan Terrace with a glass (or two) of Sirromet's Granite Belt wines before wandering through the glowing landscape. Tickets start at $16 per child and $23 per adult, with low sensory sessions available for those who prefer a calmer environment.

Hey Chica!  

315 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

Image credit: Hey Chica | Supplied

For the month of July, Brisbane’s favourite Latin social club is transforming into a vibrant winter wonderland. Expect creative Christmas cocktails, themed holiday styling and even snowfall experiences that’ll make you forget you’re in subtropical Brisbane. This free event makes for a fun winter night out, whether you’re dropping in for drinks or ready to hit the dance floor. Just remember to bring your festive spirit (and your dancing shoes).

Pig ‘N’ Whistle

312-318 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley

For those who like their Christmas celebrations with a side of dancing, Pig 'N' Whistle is hosting a free, one-night-only dinner and dance party on 25 July from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. It’s the perfect excuse to round up your group chat for a cosy pub feed, a crisp pint and a spin on the lively dance floor. 

Housed in a heritage-listed building, this British-style pub pairs exposed brick and warm timber interiors with two leafy beer gardens, making it one of Brisbane's most fitting spots to celebrate a wintery Christmas. 

Scattered Arts

117 Edith Street, Wynnum

Skip the shopping centre decorations and make your own this year. At art and craft cooperative Scattered Arts' Christmas ornament workshop on 18 July, you'll learn the basics of glass art while crafting a collection of festive keepsakes using colourful Italian glass. 

Under expert guidance in the vibrant bayside studio, you'll create a retro Christmas tree, a classic star and a festive wreath ornament to take home and proudly display wherever (and whenever) you please. Tickets are $120 per person, and the event runs from 10am to 12:30pm.   

For more of what's on in Brisbane, head here.

Main image credit: Stamford Plaza | Instagram