Auckland Farmers Santa Parade is back for its 89th edition

Janice Kumar-Ward gets acquainted with the rainbow float she will be on during the 2022 Auckland Santa Parade this Sunday. Photo / Dean Purcell

After two years of cancellations due to heavy Covid-19 restrictions, the famous Auckland Farmers Santa Parade is back for its 89th edition this weekend.

The parade will get underway at 1pm on Sunday on Mayoral Drive, as per previous years, and head along Queen St before finishing on Customs St East.

The day will end with Santa’s party in Aotea Square, from 2.30pm until 5pm.

As a result, all inner city roads around the route will be closed between 11am and 5pm on Sunday.

People are advised to get into the city before 11am to avoid frustration with traffic and parking.

The country’s largest Christmas parade has been out of action since 2019, and organisers are taking no chances, setting a postponement date for Sunday, December 4 in the event of bad weather this weekend.

An announcement will be made on the parade’s website and Facebook page at 8am on Sunday if it has been postponed.

New Zealand’s most successful Olympian, Dame Lisa Carrington will be leading the parade as the grand marshal.

A ‘blue honour’ line will be painted along the parade route and police are asking that for safety, all spectators stay behind the line while watching the parade.

As a proud supporter of Paralympics New Zealand, Farmers will be holding a pre-parade gold coin collection from noon and all money raised will be donated to the cause.

The parade was originally established in 1934 by Farmers as a gift of fantasy and fun for the children of Auckland.