Crowds watch the John Martin's Christmas Pageant on King William Street in front of the Adelaide General Post Office, c. 1950s. The float in this photo is of Father Christmas in his sleigh pulled by reindeer on top of steeply gabled snow topped roofs.

Adelaide's Christmas Pageant was founded by Sir Edward Hayward and established in 1933. He was the owner of the Adelaide department store John Martin & Co. Ltd, and was inspired by the Toronto Santa Claus Parade and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Hayward opened the first 'Children's Christmas Parade' on 18 November 1933 at the height of the Great Depression. It was a success running for around forty minutes with just eight floats and three bands, it attracted 200,000 spectators and from then the tradition of the John Martin's Christmas Pageant or as it was affectionately known the 'Johnnie's Christmas Pageant' was born. Father Christmas was introduced in 1934 and tradition of the pageant finishing at the Magic Cave (itself created in 1905) was established.