North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Christmas parades kick off
For the 25th year running, the Lions Club of Glenfield kicks off the North Shore’s festive season with the Glenfield Christmas Parade.
Parade organiser and club treasurer Michael Pollitt said the Glenfield parade was always the first parade of the season for the North Shore, ahead of Birkenhead’s and Browns Bay’s.
To celebrate the quarter-ofa-century milestone, this year the parade is running three competitions: best decorated float, best dressed adult and best dressed child.
‘‘Hopefully, the competitions will make the milestone year more colourful,’’ Pollitt said.
The event will have 40 participants, including groups on foot and vehicles with floats.
‘‘We are also having two Santas, one dressed in blue, from the police, and the normal Santa dressed in red.’’
The parade is the biggest event of the year for the Lions Club of Glenfield and planning begins in March.
As the organiser for the past 11 years, Pollitt said he still really enjoyed it.
‘‘When everything comes together and when it runs smoothly on the day, then it’s all worthwhile.
‘‘It brings the community together,’’ he said.
Due to ongoing development in Marlborough Park, the gala will not be running for a second year.
The parade starts at 11am, on Sunday, November 19, at the corner of High Rd and Glenfield Rd and ending at the corner of Chartwell and Archers Rd.
‘‘We are also having two Santas, one dressed in blue...’’ Michael Pollitt