Your holiday season events guide on the Dolphin Coast

The festive season is here, which calls for plenty of caroling, festivities, extended mall hours, Santa and his elves, and an abundance of exciting activities for the littlies.

The Dolphin Coast is expected to be a hub of activity over the next few weeks, with all sorts of thrilling events planned.

Here is a list of events you can look forward to over the busy holiday season:

Wish upon a star

1 – 31 December: Decorate Sage Centre’s Christmas tree by purchasing a beautiful wooden star (available from all Sage retailers). Personalise with a wish to loved ones near and far, or decorate with glitter and glue. In aid of The North Coast Courier Orphan Fund. Contact 032-5258059 or www.sagecentre.co.za.

Christmas night market

21 December: Get that last bit of Christmas shopping done at The Litchi Orchard’s Christmas Night Market from 5pm – 9pm. Enjoy quality food and drinks, live music and carols by Generation 246 and John Ellis, and bring Santa a gift to donate. Entry fee is R40pp cash, R35pp Zapper/ Card, Kids u12 FREE. No BYO food or drink (support the traders).

Blythedale Coastal Christmas Market

22 – 23 December: A Christmas twist to the weekly popular Blythedale Coastal Adventure Market. Hosted at the Blythedale Event Bowl, this market is a fresh produce market with adventure activities on site and will also include live music. Anything from fresh fish, locally sourced regional produce and artisan food will be available. Open from 9am – 4pm.

Ice cream run

23 December: Head down to Sugar Rush Park for the most delicious 5km run you could do this festive season. Grab refreshments, treats and ice cream along the way at the ice cream stations while enjoying music and enormous slides along the way. Relax at the end of it all in the Ice Cream Village where there will be tasty food stalls, kids entertainment, dance competitions and the ice cream after party. Registration at 7am, finishes at 12pm.

Glow for Megan

30 December – Residents and visitors of Prince’s Grant Estate can gear up for a fun, family friendly, 3km UV night run, all for a good cause! The run, which will start at the Prince’s Grant tennis court, is in aid of raising funds for Megan Hunter. Megan was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis at 15, and her only hope lies in having a stem cell transplant. Funds raised will help keep her afloat after the transplant as she will be unable to work for up to six months, and the rest will be donated towards funding Rare Diseases. Entries start at 6pm, the run starts at 7.30pm and the cost is R100 per person (includes UV body paint).

Ballito Lifestyle Centre

14 – 24 December: Father Christmas and his face painting elves will be entertaining the little guests at The Market, while two gift wrapping stations – one outside Woolworths and Toast and the other outside Super Spar, will be available for customers to have any gifts they have bought at the centre wrapped free of charge.

14 – 30 December: The centre’s trading hours will be extended to 8am-8pm.

7 – 30 December: Live music in The Market and on Eat Street on weekends has been well-received by locals throughout the year and will be ramped up from December 7 to include most weekdays.

Ballito Junction

1 – 24 December: Take a picture with Santa at the Ballito Junction Mall between 10am and 7pm.

8 – 24 December: SeaSun Arts and Crafts, biscuit icing, giant games and family photo fun.

15, 22, 29 December – 5 January: Live music entertainment from 4pm  to 7pm.

20, 27 December: Free movies under the stars from 6.30pm at the level 6 astroturf.

26 December – 6 January: Jumping castle fun from 10am – 7pm.

15 – 24 December: Gift wrapping services.

Trail of Lights

14 – 30 December: Look for the fairies and find the elves as you watch large sections of Africa’s oldest botanic gardens illuminate into a Christmas wonderland at Durban Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights. The magical, festive family event will be open every day, except Christmas Day, until December 30. Tickets cost R50 and, if booked online at Webtickets or at your local Pick ‘n Pay Store, children under two are free. Limited tickets will be available each night at the door at R70 per ticket. For more details click HERE.