Carterton Rotary Christmas Parade

Carterton, NZ, will see in the festive season with a street parade, followed by ‘A Very Carterton Christmas’ – a party in the park for all the family.

The Rotary Club of Carterton is stepping up to the plate once again to plan the Christmas Parade for Carterton residents.

Working with Lou Newman and A Very Carterton Christmas (AVCC), Rotary has planned for the parade to finish at Carrington Park, where festivities will continue into the evening with AVCC.

For the past 24 years, the Carterton Christmas Parade has been held on the last Saturday of November, but this year will see the parade running on Sunday, December 8.

PICTURED: The Carterton Volunteer Fire Brigade is always a popular entry in the parade.

The 2024 Carterton Rotary Christmas Parade, with the theme ‘It’s Christmas all over the World’, will feature floats, judging and a parade down High Street. The event will start with float assembly at 1pm, followed by judging from 1:30pm to 2:15pm, and the parade will begin at 2:30pm in Broadway, turn right onto High Street and travel along until turning Left into Wakelin. The event will conclude with a prize-giving ceremony from 3:15pm to 3:30pm.

Following the disappointment of last year’s event being cancelled due to weather, organisers are hoping for a top turnout for 2024.

Parade coordinator Rodney O’Leary said that while it is Rotary doing the organising, it is “the business community that are responsible” as that’s who is providing financial support and sponsoring the parade.

Carterton District Council is also providing funding for the event and helping to organise consent for road closures with Waka Kotahi and safety resources.

Rodney said these are the “big costs” that usually run to a few thousand dollars, so Rotary is grateful for the council support.

MAIN PICTURE: The big man himself makes an appearance each year at the Carterton Rotary Christmas Parade, his Rotary Sleigh pulled by his trusty reindeer.