Dannevirke radio station organising Christmas in the Park

Expect to see Santa at Dannevirke's Christmas in the Park event planned for December 14.

The organisers of Dannevirke’s Christmas in the Park event are hoping to bring back good old-fashioned family fun.

Radio Dannevirke is hosting the event, which is planned to be held at the A&P Showgrounds on December 14.

But they need people to put their hands up to perform.

Spokesman Stuart Wright says the radio station wanted to do something for the community.

“Back to what we used to do.”

The event will be a chance for locals to come together with their family, have a picnic and do fun things together, with emphasis on family, festivities and fun.

There’ll be plenty of entertainment and games including children’s fun olympics such as an egg and spoon race, three-legged race, sack race, gumboot toss, bean bag throw and a tug of war competition.

Local businesses are also being encouraged to take part in business karaoke and anyone is encouraged to dust off their singing voices and have a go at singing Christmas songs.

Other entertainment is planned with a few acts lined up such as the Viking Choir and Helen Carver band, with Bandy Mcjazzband also being asked to perform.

There will also be a bouncy castle, train and other fun activities for children including writing letters to Santa, who plans to stop in via helicopter.

Organisers are also hoping local organisations such as the fire brigade, police and St John will also come along and have stands and have asked local Trevor Moore to do a talk about his experience with the Air Ambulance.

Trevor was critically injured in an accident in May last year and was taken to Wellington Hospital by helicopter.

He later walked to Wellington to raise funds for the Grassroots Trust rescue helicopter.

Stuart says he doesn’t think there’s ever been a Christmas in the Park in Dannevirke before although there has been Carols by Candlelight, but he adds he’s been a little disappointed with previous carol-singing events and is hoping to have more familiar Christmas songs at the event.

Funds raised through the event will be going to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a charitable trust which provides support for grandparents raising their grandchildren on a fulltime basis.

Stuart is only too happy to be supporting a local organisation as well as reviving what he sees as the spirit of Christmas.

“Other places have lost what Christmas is all about,” he says.

He is welcoming other ideas for not only performances but how they can make it bigger in the future.

“My goal in the future is to do the Christmas parade, the Fantasy Cave and Christmas in the Park all together.”

Festivities are planned to start around 3pm on December 14, finishing at 10pm.