The Mount Barker Christmas Festival Committee Inc. was formed in 1982. Our group of volunteers work all year round, building, renovating and repairing pageant floats for that one special day. The parade is conducted on the first Saturday of December each year. Over the years, volunteers have constructed around 18 floats, each has taken hundreds of hours to build. Thanks to local businesses and support from the District Council of Mt Barker, sponsorship and donations, we have been able to continue running this wonderful event each year. The reward for all the hard work is the look of joy and excitement on the children's faces on parade day.

The parade starts at the Mount Barker oval and finishes in Gawler Street. At the end of the pageant, Children can visit Santa in his mobile cave - situated in Walker Street until 2.30pm. The street will be closed off to traffic, and children can enjoy free face painting while waiting to see Santa.

Up to 100 bright and colourful floats may take part in  the procession, including Committee floats such as the Castle of fairytales, the Toyshop, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fairy Dell, the Pirate Ship, Barka the Dog, The Mermaids, Jack and Jill, The Bumble Bees, The Christmas Stocking, Stone age Float, Christmas Pudding, the Gingerbread House, A Pageant train, Santa’s fire service, Nativity float and of the course the main attraction, Father Christmas