Festive parade floats away

KIM DE LEIJER
Hawke's Bay children will not have the chance to see Santa on a float this year.
The annual Napier Christmas Parade has been scrapped.
A decision to cull the December parade was made for a variety of reasons. Organisers were struggling to attract schools, community groups and businesses to enter floats and OSH regulations meant the restrictions on where people could stand and what activities could take place were tightened.
Replacing it will be a communal Christmas event in Napier's inner city streets which will include interactive activities for children.
The afternoon will be held on December 6, the same day the parade was to be held, in the inner streets of Napier from 2pm to 6pm.
There will be a range of entertainment for children and families including rides, face painting, Christmas-themed art and baking activities, and a treasure hunt.
The day will culminate in an all-ages concert at the Sound Shell on Marine Parade, with accomplished Wellington singer and pianist Jared Taylor as a planned guest.
Napier Inner City Marketing manager Meg Rodel said the group wanted something more interactive for the children.
``I actually see it as a positive move,' she said, ``... children come along to the parade and just stand on the side of the street watching everything go along. It's as much satisfaction as you get out of it.
``People are busy and creating floats just before Christmas is not the easiest thing in the world.'
Consultation between the Napier Lions, which had previously hosted the parade, Napier City Council and Napier Inner City Marketing group had taken place with the latter two the major sponsors of the event. Other sponsorship was also being sought.
Mrs Rodel estimated the afternoon would cost about $10,000, including ``extra' costs such as guest performers.
Mayor Barbara Arnott was pleased with the participatory nature of the day. She said the council had spent more than $20,000 on public Christmas decorations and put $5000 into the afternoon.