Christmas parade time is upon us
Temuka and Timaru will be Santa’s first stops in South Canterbury as the Christmas parade season kicks off this weekend.
The return of each town’s annual Christmas parade is expected to draw thousands to Temuka’s King St on Saturday, and Timaru’s Stafford St down to Caroline Bay on Sunday.
Geraldine, Waimate, and Pleasant Point hold their parades next month.
‘‘We sort of have a circuit that comes round South Canterbury.
‘‘People go from one to the other,’’ Temuka Christmas parade and market day co-ordinator Lorna Double said.
Organisers of the region’s Christmas parades – and the Festival of Roses, which will also be held in Timaru this weekend – ‘‘worked together’’ to avoid scheduling clashes, and to make sure the events complemented each other, Double said.
Teressa May, committee member of the Timaru Santa Parade, said for some South Cantabrians the string of Christmas parades was their only way of celebrating the holiday.
‘‘Whether they can afford the whole concept of Christmas or not, this is free,’’ May said.
‘‘The effort that we put into the parade just might make their day and that is what it is all about.’’
Double said ‘‘between 25 and 30-odd’’ floats were expected for Temuka’s parade on Saturday, while 20 stalls had already been registered for the market.
‘‘People come in at the last minute so we can’t really tell you [the number of floats and stalls] until the day.’’
The event was ‘‘wellsupported’’ by the Temuka and wider community, with shopkeepers decorating their store windows this week according to the theme: The 12 Days of Christmas. ‘‘We have no problems getting people to help. Everyone comes on board every year and they all look forward to this big day,’’ Double said.
A tai chi demonstration from martial artist David Thew and a visit from police dogs would also feature at the parade.
Double, who has been involved with Temuka’s parade since its inception in 1993, said what had kept her involved in the event for so long was the fact it brought the community together. ‘‘I enjoy being part of that.’’ May said 48 floats and a few ‘‘mobile entertainers’’ – including Barney the Dinosaur and friends – would be marching in Timaru on Sunday. ‘‘We have had someone pull out because of hail damage so that is a bit sad.’’
The goal was for the parade to be ‘‘unique, different, and bigger and better every year’’, May said.
Temuka’s parade is 10am-2pm on Saturday while Timaru’s parade starts at 1.30pm on Sunday.