Hot chips and a cool koala feature in a new Christmas Pageant mini float designed to celebrate the festive season in true South Australian style
The colourful Sandy Christmas was today named winner of the 2026 National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant Mini Float Competition and will make its debut through the streets of Adelaide on Saturday 14 November.
The mini float was dreamed up by Tatachilla Lutheran College Year 5 student Riley Radbone, who joined the team at Stardust Castle today to see her creation unveiled.
Ten-year-old Riley was among 600 South Australian entries in this year’s competition and has won $500, a behind-the-scenes tour of Stardust Castle and a reserved space to watch the Pageant.
Sandy Christmas celebrates South Australia’s summer festive season and features a relaxed koala enjoying hot chips at the beach alongside a festive seagull, cricket gear and a sandcastle adorned with baubles and a starfish. It will appear with 170 other theatrical sets in the southern hemisphere’s largest public parade.
Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke praised the new mini float.
“Sandy Christmas is such a wonderfully South Australian nod to the festive season, and Riley’s creativity has captured the fun, colour and sense of community that make the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant so special,” Minister Bourke said.
“I look forward to seeing Sandy Christmas make its way through Adelaide on Pageant Day, sharing its magic with everyone lining the route.”
National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant Director Brian Gilbertson AM said the mini float competition had been held for 14 years.
“We are so proud to celebrate the creativity of young South Australians through this very special competition,” he said.
“Riley’s design stood out for its cheeky sense of fun– I think we’d all love to join those colourful characters for a game of beach cricket!”
National Pharmacies Chief Customer Officer Alex Palin said anticipation for Pageant Day was building.
“There are just 49 sleeps until Father Christmas arrives in Adelaide and we know families all over the city are joining us in the countdown,” Mr Palin said.
“National Pharmacies is so proud to support an event that brings the community together and shares the magic at this very special time of year – congratulations to Riley and we can’t wait to see ‘Sandy Christmas’ come to life on Pageant Day.”
Second place in the mini float competition went to Goodwood Primary School student Finn Fulton and his design SA’s Iconic Desert Pavlova, with third place awarded to Star of the Sea School student Sara Tripodi and her creation Christmas Countdown Calendar.
The 94th National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant will be held on Saturday 14 November.
