Just crowds, no controversy
The Pleasant Point Christmas Parade attracted large crowds while the content of the ‘‘politically incorrect’’ floats attracted less controversy than in past years.
First-time parade organiser Sarah Denton said she was happy with the turnout.
‘‘Obviously it was a nice warm evening so heaps of people came out; there was a huge crowd.’’
The parade has gained notoriety for its ‘‘politically incorrect’’ comedy floats alongside the regular Christmas parade entries from local businesses, schools and community groups although Friday night’s event seemed tamer than usual.
Denton said she doesn’t think this reflects a change in the parade’s tone or that there are subjects people aren’t finding funny any more.
‘‘No, I think this year probably the more relevant thing for Pleasant Point was the pub reopening and for the whole of New Zealand, and the whole of the world, Covid ... and then the Andrew Falloon scandal that was obviously quite local. People are just picking out the things that are going to get a laugh. I don’t know why people pick the things they do, but it’s always funny.
‘‘As a committee we don’t have any control over what people pick or why they pick it so I can’t really answer that question.’’
The floats that did appear lampooned Andrew Falloon, the previous MP for Rangitata who was forced to resign after allegedly sending unsolicited pornographic
‘‘I think this year probably the more relevant thing for Pleasant Point was the pub reopening...’’ Sarah Denton, organiser
images to young women, as well as Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard for using taxpayer money to settle a defamation lawsuit.
US President Donald Trump and the US elections also appeared in a number of floats.
Denton said ‘‘given the year we’ve had obviously everyone needs a bit of a laugh and I think it’s important that we don’t take ourselves too seriously and I think that’s what we tend to do.’’
‘‘We just like to have a bit of fun.’’ Denton’s highlight was Santa’s float, which had been recovered this year and ‘‘was looking new and flash and we were pretty happy with that’’.