Frankston’s newly rebranded Frankston Christmas Festival drew what appeared to be one of the largest crowds in the event’s history on Saturday, with festival-goers filling the city centre from early afternoon through to late evening. Official attendance figures are still to be released, but historical numbers sit around 50,000. Based on continuous crowd density across key activity areas, this year’s turnout may have exceeded previous years.
The festival delivered a full program of entertainment, children’s activities, live music, roving performers and food trucks across the CBD event zone. Police maintained a steady presence throughout the precinct. From STPL News’ observations on the ground, crowd behaviour was positive and no incidents were reported.
This year marked the first outing of the event under its updated name, shifting from the long-running Festival of Lights to the Frankston Christmas Festival. Council says the change better reflects the event’s broader focus on community celebration during the festive season.
Frankston City Council Mayor Kris Bolam JP said the festival demonstrated the city’s capability to host major public events.
“A fantastic showcase of Frankston’s ability to deliver exceptional events”
The Mayor said the renaming of the event was intended to emphasise community connection.
“Frankston is proud to rebrand the event from the Festival of Lights to the Frankston Christmas Festival. Christmas, no matter your faith, is a time to come together, celebrate community, and share joy”
Cr Bolam said Frankston was positioned to host even larger events in the future, supported by growth in local accommodation options.
“Looking forward to Frankston hosting even bigger events in the years ahead, supported by a growing hotel and short-term accommodation offering”
STPL News will provide updated attendance figures once released by Council.
