Santa parade time for Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty

Santa was the star attraction at last year’s Seeka Te Puke Christmas Float Parade. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty get ready – Santa’s on his way to spread festive joy by parading through towns this weekend.

Santa is first expected to surface in Tauranga CBD on Saturday, then head to Te Puke and scoot over to Katikati before visiting Pāpāmoa on Sunday.

In Tauranga’s CBD, he will arrive at the waterfront via special delivery with Kewpie Cruises on Saturday at 9.30am, for the grand opening of his Summer Grotto at 41 Devonport Rd.

Everyone is welcome to meet Santa and his elf and follow him up to the grotto, which will be open 10am-3pm on December 6 and 13 and then 10am-3pm daily from December 16 through to December 24.

The Seeka Te Puke Christmas Float Parade begins at 11am on Saturday in downtown Te Puke for a steampunk and vintage holiday spectacle that will finish at midday.

Festive floats will puff, whistle and sparkle as gears and goggles bring Christmas to life. Onlookers are welcome to don festive steampunk attire.

That afternoon, Santa is off to the Katikati Lions’ Santa Parade, which begins at 3pm.

The parade starts at Katikati College grounds, turns left on to Carisbrooke St and flows down to Moore Park.

There, the Christmas in the Park event, organised by Katch Katikati, is on from 3.30pm-5pm with live entertainment, featuring Beat Street Drummers, Melissa Cox and Big Road Blues.

Children’s entertainment, market stalls and food will be on-site.

On Sunday, the jolly red man and his reindeer will head to the Pak’nSave Pāpāmoa Santa Parade, which will start at 10am and finish about midday.

The town’s streets will come alive with colourful floats, music, costumes, and plenty of festive cheer as the community gathers for Pāpāmoa’s biggest festive celebration.

The route is Dickson Rd to Domain Rd to Pāpāmoa Plaza.