Floats ready to go for spring celebration

Gabriella Jones (left) Amanda Aitken, Renee Smith, Ruby Secuya, and Hugo Jones with the Cranford Hospice birthday cake for their Blossom Parade float. Photo/ Paul Taylor.

Hawke's Bay locals are adding the final touches to their floats as the annual Hastings Blossom Parade hits the streets on Saturday.

More than 60 floats will be weaving through the centre of town celebrating Hastings and the arrival of Spring, led by Wellington's Batucada Band.

The Event is organised by Arts Inc. Heretaunga and parade organiser Lyn Mackie said this was the largest amount of entries they had received in the last 20 years.

"It is set to be a good day and the weather is also looking on our side with a temperature of around 19 degrees. It will be warm enough for people dressed in costume which is good."

The parade will feature everything from the Hastings Boys' High School rugby champions to Cranford Hospice celebrating their 35th birthday. The foam canon will also be making an appearance again.

"There will a huge range of ages and designs with the Edible Fashion Awards, the DIY Coffin Club, the New Zealand Armed Constabulary and the Fiesta of Lights as well as preschools and community groups."

The award-winning White Face Crew who performed at the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival in 2015 and 2016 will also be bringing their trademark physical comedy and roving tomfoolery from Auckland.

Cranford Hospice marketing and fundraising manager Nathalie van Dort said Cranford's float was a birthday cake on the back of a truck.

"There will be about 40 of us with staff, volunteers, grandchildren and children all in the parade next to our very colourful birthday cake made out of paper. It features a lot of blossoms."

The parade begins at 11am at the corner of Hastings Street and Lyndon Road and the prize giving will be at 1pm in the Civic Square.

There will be a $500 prize for each of the winners from the best commercial float, best community float, best school float, best natural flower, best artificial flower, best dressed (group or individual) and most humorous.

A $1000 prize will be given to the winner of the People's Choice Award, which will be run by The Hits Hawke's Bay Breakfast Show hosts Adam Green and Sarah van der Kley.

People can text in who they like the best on the day to 4487, texts cost 20 cents each.

A Blossom Market with an array of food stalls will also be running from 9am until midday in the Hastings City Centre Mall, with the White Face Crew roving among the crowds from 10am-11am.

There will be limited seating for the elderly and disabled on the corner of Queen Street West and Market Street North (opposite Kiwibank). Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting Lyn Mackie at Arts Inc. Heretaunga on 06 878 9447.

For more information visit: www.artsinc.co.nz/events.