Mandurah Forum officially celebrated the start of the festive season on Thursday, with a Christmas parade filtering throughout the shopping centre.
Children and parents from around the region converged on the shopping complex, with one special guest travelling all the way from the north pole for the occasion.
The launch boasted plenty of glitz and glamour, with a colourful Santa parade and lighting of the centre’s brand new Christmas decorations.
Speaking at the even the forum’s manager Jacqueline McKenzie said this year’s decorations reflected the coastline that Mandurah was well-known for.
Ms McKenzie joined Santa, his helpers and other forum representatives to officially switch on the Christmas lights at the complex.
Read more:
The forum revealed their new decorations including an immersive digital floor, a 3D digital fish tank and close to 100 ocean-inspired decorations that have all been designed to capture the essence of what makes Mandurah so unique and beautiful.
Shells and marine life can be spotted in many of the decorations spread out across the forum.
Local resident Aurora Collins and her children were the lucky winner of Mandurah Forum’s online competition.
The Collins family were the first to experience Santa’s new magical castle and get a photo with the jolly man himself. .
“I could hardly believe it when I got the call saying I had won, I have never won anything before,” Ms Collins said.
“It’s so exciting to be here, getting the whole family together to celebrate Christmas,” she said.
Visitors can get photos taken with Santa at his magical castle until Christmas Eve with Jolly Saint Nic available daily from 10am to 4pm and every Thursday from 10am to 8pm.
Quiet Santa, for children with special or sensory needs, is also available every Sunday until December 10 from 8am to 10am.
Christmas shopping will also be more convenient than ever, with Mandurah Forum opening a further 900 parking spaces, making the entire rooftop available for quick and easy parking.
“With 2,500 spaces available we’re thrilled to offer our shoppers a hassle-free festive season,” Ms McKenzie said.
Christmas celebrations are set to continue with shoppers receiving a scratch and win card for every $20 spent between November 30 and December 11.
With thousands of freebies, exclusive offers and 12 major cash prizes worth a total of $10,000 up for grabs, locals can get rewarded in more ways than one for getting their Christmas shopping done early.
