Christmas tree up in Square
The week's festivities culminate on Sunday with the city Christmas market from 10am and Santa parade at 2pm.
Despite blustery conditions, workers have successfully erected Palmerston North’s Christmas tree in The Square.
Everything had to be ready for the switch-on of the tree’s festive lights at 8.20pm on Thursday, and the tree went up without too many worries on Monday, city community engagement manager Ian Littleworth said.
Thursday’s tree-lighting is the first official Christmas celebration on the city advent calendar, and gets under way at 7.30pm with performances from kapa haka groups and two choirs.
Other related events in and around The Square this week include the military charter parade on Saturday morning and a performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, featuring the firing of cannons as part of the music on Saturday evening with the New Zealand Army Band, Palmerston North Brass and the guns of 16th Field Regiment.
The week’s festivities culminate on Sunday with the city Christmas market from 10am and Santa parade at 2pm.
Littleworth said that although it wouldn’t be dark, the Thursday 8.20pm switch-on by mayor Grant Smith was timed to accommodate families with younger children.
A kapa haka group performing on Thursday are regional champions.
Nga Iti Rearea – the Little Bellbirds – from Monrad Intermediate, were winners of the Ko Whiri Tika Mai, Manawatuhorowhenua kapa haka competition, and have qualified for next year’s national Te Mana Kuratahi competition in Gisborne.
The group will combine with the kapa haka group from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Manawatu to perform a locally written waiata, as well as Christmas carols.
More carolling, along with traditional Polynesian songs, will be provided by the young people of the 30-40 voice Congregational Christian Church of Samoa Sunday School Children’s Choir.
The other choral group is the Six to Sixty choir – a group of singers of all ages and singing levels co-ordinated by Amy Hunt, star of the Abbey Theatre musical Dusty.
Song sheets will be available so everyone can join in.