The annual Hastings Blossom Parade will kick off this morning with more than 60 entries expected to make their way through the inner city.
Parade organiser Lyn Mackie said it had been "a mad house" at Arts Inc Heretaunga in the days leading up to the spring event.
A total of 63 entries, from floats to mime artists, had been made for the parade themed "celebrate Hastings" this year.
Ms Mackie said she was excited about the event, which was particularly special as it was the 20th year she had been involved in organising it.
"I organise the parade and every year it has its own evolution and we never know what we're going to get,
"My favourite part is seeing the pleasure people get from participating in the parade, the reward they get for their hard wok, and the pleasure on the faces of the spectators."
The parade kicks off at 11am on Saturday, starting on the corner of Hastings St and Lyndon Rd, before winding its way through the inner city, finishing outside the Women's Rest in Russell St.
A late addition to the parade was the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV team who will travel on a float to celebrate winning the National Top Four rugby title for the first time last weekend.
MetService forecast brief morning rain and northwesterlies today, with weather becoming fine by the afternoon and the chance of an afternoon shower.
Ms Mackie said the parade prizegiving would be held at 1.15pm at Civic Square and there would be a blossom market from 9am to 12pm in the Hastings city centre mall.