Christmas Party in Canberra

Planning a Canberra Christmas Party

The end of the year is the busy stretch for work functions in the ACT, and December evenings are usually warm, so beer gardens, courtyards and the foreshore all come into play. The trade-off is competition: popular rooms go to the teams that enquire first, so lock in a date before agreeing on the menu.

The district you pick sets the tone of the night.

Matching the party to a part of town:

Braddon suits a relaxed team night, with pub packages from $20 per person to $40 per person, a Lonsdale Street wine bar from $52 per person and a whisky bar whose private booking sits at a $2,000 minimum spend.
Civic covers the dressier end: restaurants with private rooms, set menus from $55 per person, and Asian barbecue dining across several function spaces from $88 per person.
The Kingston Foreshore and Manuka put a team by the water or in a pub with an upstairs bar, with Manuka packages from $60 per person.
Barton and Parkes handle the large end-of-year functions, from hotel ballrooms at $30 per person to lake-shore fine dining at $85 per person.
Gungahlin, Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan keep staff close to home, with suburban pubs, clubs and an events floor above a Queanbeyan hotel from $37 per person.
The wine district runs weekday group lunches, with a Murrumbateman hay shed from $39 per person and a winery café near Lake George from $79 per person.

If the team wants to do something before eating, axe throwing, mini golf and challenge rooms in Civic all run group sessions. Smaller teams can also take over a themed private room at a Civic karaoke bar, from $60 room hire. See Christmas party venues for rooms only, or team building for activities that fill an afternoon.

Long lunch or evening: a weekday lunch at a cellar door suits a team that finishes early, while a pub or bar function works better after work hours.
Sit-down or roaming: seated menus keep speeches orderly, while canapés and a standing crowd let people mix across departments.
Room hire or package: one Turner club hall lists $750 room hire, which can beat per-person pricing once the numbers pass a hundred.
Ask what is in the bar tab or drinks package, and agree a cap so the bill has no surprises.

Getting everyone there and home

Teams split between Belconnen, Woden and Gungahlin offices are easier to gather in Civic or the Inner South than at one district's edge.
A wine-district lunch needs a bus or coach booked for the return, since the cellar doors sit past the city's edge.
A two-deck party boat chartered from Kingston and picnic boats from $139 per group make an outing of it, but check the numbers each one takes.
Early evening starts help staff with long trips home on the last working day.

Things the function manager should confirm

How many other functions share the venue that night, and whether your space is fully private.
When the final head count is due and how dietary needs are handled.
Whether there is shade or cover for an outdoor area if the afternoon runs hot.
Whether a DJ, a photographer or AV can be brought in, or must come from the venue's own list.

Christmas Parties: Your Questions Answered

When should an ACT work Christmas party be booked?

As early as the team can agree on a date. The end of the year is the busy period for functions, and the private rooms and Friday nights are the first to be taken.

What do Braddon pubs charge for an end-of-year team night?

Pub packages on this page start at $20 per person and run to around $40 per person, while a Lonsdale Street wine bar takes half or whole venues from $52 per person.

Can a Christmas party be held as a weekday lunch at a winery?

Yes. A Murrumbateman cellar door hosts weekday lunches in its hay shed from $39 per person, and a winery café near Lake George hosts Christmas and work lunches. Book a bus for the trip back.

Which Inner South venues suit a large office Christmas function?

The Barton hotel ballroom divides or opens for up to 800 cocktail guests, Old Parliament House has heritage event spaces, a Deakin club has two function rooms for up to 300, and a Narrabundah auditorium comes with a stage.

Is there something active to do before a festive dinner in Civic?

Axe throwing, themed mini golf and challenge rooms all run group sessions in the city centre, from $23 per person, so a team can play for an hour and then walk to dinner. Private karaoke rooms in Civic suit the later part of the night.

How do we keep a December party comfortable outdoors?

Ask for a shaded or covered area, an indoor fallback and a later start if the afternoon is forecast hot. Courtyards and beer gardens are most comfortable once the heat of the day eases.

Christmas Party Canberra

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