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The big man in red is heading south for a weekend break to meet Mahurangi families at Santa Parades in Wellsford and Warkworth at the end of this month.
Wellsford will be the first stop, on Saturday, November 30, with the parade starting from the Community Centre at the top of Matheson Road and making its way down to the railway station, before heading back to the centre for more fun and prizegiving. There will be face painting, photos with Santa, a display of Wharehine trucks, music and dancing, a barbecue and sausage sizzle and coffee.
There will also be special guest appearances from Harold the Giraffe, the Plunket Blue Bear and the McDonald’s Hamburglar.
Float entries will be accepted until Monday, November 25 in four categories – community, commercial, children’s and walking – and there are cash prizes for the top three in each bracket.
The parade starts at 11.30am and activities will run until 1.30pm.
Then on Sunday, December 1, Santa heads down SH1 to head the parade through Warkworth. He’ll do two loops of the town, starting from Baxter Street at 11.30am, then heading along Queen Street, up Mill Lane and down Neville Street, before prize giving and a lolly giveaway at the end of Baxter Street.
There will also be dance displays, face painting and photos on the sleigh with Santa.
There will be five categories of float in the Kiwi Summer theme – preschool, school, community, business and people’s choice – and organiser Murray Chapman stresses that the term ‘float’ is flexible.
“You can be a walking float,” he says. “You don’t have to go to a huge amount of expense, just get in and enjoy yourselves.”
As well as cash prizes for float winners, there will be spot prizes for those who enter the People’s Choice vote. Float entries will be accepted until Friday, November 29.
Murray says the 2019 Santa Parade has been given a huge boost, thanks to new sponsorship from Jennian Homes.
“That’s a real biggie. It means we’ll be able to put Christmas flags all round the town and it’s helped with the cost of things like traffic management plans,” he says.
There will be some road closures in the CBD while the parade takes place, and Murray is urging drivers to be patient.
“There will be some inconvenience to drivers on the day, but we just ask that people get into the Christmas spirit and be kind to our volunteers,” he says. “If you’re held up, take a deep breath and realise it’s Christmas and a fun day.”
Wellsford info and float entries: Tania Hamilton on 021 264 0424 or email wellsfordplus@gmail.com
Warkworth info and float entries: Murray Chapman on 0274 966550 or email murray@onewarkworth.co.nz
