Every December the valley town of Lobethal glows. We look at the history behind one of Australia's longest-running Christmas light displays.
A town that glows
For a few weeks each December, the quiet valley town of Lobethal becomes one of the most visited places in the Adelaide Hills. Streets, houses and gardens disappear under hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights, and tens of thousands of visitors crawl through to see them.
Lutheran roots
Lobethal — the name means 'valley of praise' — was settled by Prussian Lutheran refugees in 1842, among the first German communities in the Hills. That heritage runs deep: in the town's old buildings, its bakery, and the strong tradition of community Christmas celebration that the lights grew from.
The tradition takes hold
What began as a few decorated homes became, over decades, a town-wide event — one of the longest-running Christmas light displays in the country. The festival has evolved into a full program of nightly displays, a procession and markets, but its heart is still neighbours stringing lights for the joy of it.
Doing it well
Go on a weeknight to avoid the worst of the crowds, park on the edge of town and walk in, and rug up — the Hills are cold after dark. Pair it with a daytime visit to Lobethal's bakery and the surrounding cideries to make a full day of the valley.
