Festive cheer to cycling gear
Published on 13 October 2025
Good times are on the cards with two major events coming up.
From festive floats to fast and fearless cycling, the City of Onkaparinga is bringing fun to the streets.
First up is the much-loved Onkaparinga Christmas Pageant on Sunday 23 November. The parade – featuring more than 60 marching bands, dance groups, sporting clubs, community groups and local businesses – kicks off from 10am at the corner of Hunt Crescent and Beach Road at Christies Beach. Of course, the jolly man in red, Santa, will make an appearance too.
Immediately following the pageant, Christmas in the Park will take place at Rotary Park, keeping the festive spirit going strong until 1pm.
Then, in the new year, it's time to switch gears for some high-speed action with the City of Onkaparinga hosting two stages of the thrilling Santos Tour Down Under.
It’s time to cheer on more than 240 elite cyclists from across the globe.
The women’s race, Ziptrak® Women’s Stage 1, will start and finish in Willunga on Saturday 17 January. The 137km opening stage will pass through Port Willunga, McLaren Vale and Aldinga.
Santos Tour Down Under Assistant Race Director Carlee Taylor shared their excitement about the women’s race, saying: “The level of women’s racing at the TDU continues to improve every year, and like the men, the feedback from riders and teams has been they want longer and harder stages.”
“So, from day one of the season we start with our longest ever women’s stage with 137km in Willunga which will be a great spectacle.”
The men’s event, THINK! Road Safety Men’s Stage 4, will follow on Saturday 24 January, with riders setting off from Brighton and racing toward the finish line at Willunga Hill.
The 176-kilometre route will travel through Flagstaff Hill, Coromandel Valley, Clarendon, Maslin Beach, Port Willunga and Aldinga. It’ll be a triple treat for cyclists and spectators alike with riders taking on the notorious Willunga Hill three times for the first time, bringing the total ascent for the day to 2,572 metres.
Race Director Stuart O’Grady says next year’s race routes are shaping up to be the most exciting to date, with more aggressive racing on the cards.
“This is all about putting a new twist on an old favourite where we always see huge crowds on Willunga Hill,” Stuart said.
“It’s hard to know how the stage will play out. It’s certainly going to be a day for the climbers and the winner will really have to earn it.”
The 2025 event marked the 25th anniversary of the Tour Down Under, drawing 807,900 fans across all stages, a record $98 million in visitor spending, and $62.5 million in value added to South Australia’s economy. It also supported the equivalent of 488 full-time jobs, according to Deloitte Access Economics.
For more information on the Onkaparinga Christmas Pageant visit onkaparingacity.com/Christmaspageant
For details on the Santos Tour Down Under, including detailed route maps and times, visit tourdownunder.com.au