Kick Christmas off this year at Rainbow

Don't miss the chance to see Santa arriving in the Rainbow Beach helicopter from 3pm

It’s a great weekend to start your summer holidays in Rainbow Beach with the markets on this Saturday morning followed by the Festival of Small Halls on Saturday night then Santa arrives on Sunday afternoon.

The markets will be held on Saturday 10 December from 7am to 12noon at the Rainbow Beach centre block and promise to be a huge market full of Christmas goodies to buy for yourself or your loved ones and will be specialising in last minute Christmas shopping.

The Festival of Small Halls returns on Saturday night with performances by Inn Echo and Sam Buckingham with local Tina Goodwin opening the show.

Tickets for the Festival of Small Halls are only $15 for adults and children (aged 16 and under – must be accompanied by an adult) are free with doors open from 6.30 pm and the show starting at 7pm.

The Festival is based on an idea from Prince Edward Island, Canada, where local communities host roots, traditional and acoustic artists in community halls all over the Island during several weeks of Summer.

The Australian version is produced by Woodfordia Inc and is held in partnership with festivals and local communities across regional Australia.

Organisers take the best folk and contemporary acoustic artists performing at two large festivals and sends them on the road to tiny halls all over the country and they land in Rainbow this weekend.

The annual Santa Comes to Rainbow event will be held on Sunday from 3pm and will also have a photo booth, raffles, food, and great music.

The Christmas event is brought to you by the Rainbow Beach Community Centre Hall and hosted by Elisa Seul of Elisa, People, Places and Events.

The event has been supported with funding from the Gympie Regional Council and

major sponsors, Century 21 Platinum Agents – Gympie & Cooloola Coast, Cooloola Coast Realty – Rainbow Beach and Cooloola Cove and Rainbow Beach Helicopters.

The volunteers from Boomerang Bags Rainbow Beach have been busy sewing 150 gift bags which will be filled thanks to sponsors and given away to children aged between two and ten years old.

Rainbow Beach Helicopters will be bringing Santa to Rainbow Beach’s centre block and word is, he is excited to meet everyone again this year.

Live music will be performed by Raw Ordio who performed in the same park earlier this year and will again bring their exciting and entertaining live electronic acts to the party.

There will be cupcakes, coffee, gelato, waffles, a sausage sizzle, and organisers have suggested you bring your own chair, picnic rug, drinks and cash for the food vendors and raffles.

For last minute bookings for Small Halls go to their website www.festivalofsmallhalls.com