Christmas parade rolls through NP
Elves, Snoopy’s plane, Santa and even rubbish trucks made up this year’s New Plymouth Lions Christmas Parade, which made a triumphant return after last year’s Covid-enforced cancellation.
Thousands of people gathered in the city centre on Saturday afternoon to watch the procession as it set off from the Clock Tower and down Devon St, before turning left along Liardet St, left again on Gill St and looping back towards the starting point.
Led by the Devon Hotel New Plymouth Brass Band, this was the first parade since 2020, after Covid saw events across the region called off last year.
Among Saturday’s onlookers were Cara Edwards, 9, Meila Fabish, 5, and Alyssa Fabish, 9, from Bell Block and Inglewood.
Despite their youth they were old hands at the Christmas parade, having been to previous years, and said the float they were most looking forward to was Santa’s sleigh.
And while Santa and his merry elves might be more used to the freezing north, it was a scorcher of a day in New Plymouth.
‘‘We organised the weather,’’ Frank Bennett, New Plymouth Central Lions’ Club social chairman, joked.
‘‘Somebody was looking after us.’’
Bennett said although the number of floats was down on previous years, he estimated between 35 and 40 took part.
He said they were very pleased with the numbers and praised the response from community groups.
‘‘We were a bit dismayed with the school response, the number of schools, but overall we were pleased with the number of floats and we were astounded by the crowd still coming out.
‘‘It was obvious that after two years of lockdown and no parade, everyone was looking for something.’’
But Bennett said Covid had changed how people spent their leisure time, and the organisers would look at the timing of future parades – possibly with a move into the evening.
‘‘One o’clock is not a suitable time in this day and age, and so we are looking at alternative times, but the same venue. We’ll keep the venue.’’
The parade was a mix of traditional favourites such as Santa and Mrs Claus and the Taranaki Caledonian Pipe Band, mixed
with more modern figures such as an e-scooter riding team of Avengers featuring the likes of Spider-man and Captain America, as well as a corgi dog and roller skaters.
Other participants included the members of the Morgan B School of Dance, the Taranaki Filipino Society, and Alison’s Dance School, which provided four ‘‘elves’’ for Santa’s sleigh.
Taranaki Outrigger Canoe Club Waka Ama was named the best community group float, Santa’s Christmas Trees won best themed float, Marfell School won best school entry, and the best overall entry was by Sentinel Homes.