7,000 take part in Christmas Parade

KUCHING: The Christmas spirit filled Kuching City on Saturday evening as an estimated 7,000 people took part in Kuching Christmas Parade 2018.

Themed ‘Good news of great joy’, the parade this year aimed to spread the true meaning of Christmas, bring blessing, harmony and goodwill to the people.

This year’s parade was organised by Association of Churches in Sarawak and Kuching Ministers’ Fellowship, with Methodist Church SCAC acting as the host church.

Participants gathered as early as 5pm at the flag- off point in the Jubilee Ground, for praise, worship and prayers for the country and people.

The parade started at 6.30pm, filling the streets with joy and fun accompanied by carollers and brass bands belting out Christmas carols.

There were as many as 16 lavishly- decorated Christmas floats lighting up the festivity and adding colour to the procession, while numerous performers entertained participants and the crowd lining up the streets to watch the parade.

The 4km parade covered MBKS Jubilee ground, Jalan Padungan, Jln Tun Abdul Rahim (waterfront), Lebuh Temple ( Harbour View Hotel), Lebuh Wayang ( Medan Pelita/Star Cineplex), Jln Tabuan ( Ting & Ting supermarket/ Borneo Hotel), Jln Ban Hock (Grand Continental Hotel/MBKS flats) and back to MBKS Jubilee ground.

Organising chairperson William Ting said the Christmas parade has been held every year for the past 10 years to spread the true meaning of Christmas.

Participants in high spirits before the start of the parade.

One of the floats in Kuching Christmas Parade. — Photos by Tan Song Wei

Volunteers help to control the traffic as floats make their way through the streets of Kuching.