Cambridge starts holiday month with annual New World Christmas Parade

It wouldn't have been a Christmas parade without Santa Clause and Mrs Clause. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

There's no mucking around in Cambridge when it comes to Christmas and with the first day of December, the start of the most wonderful time of the year, came the towns annual New World Christmas Parade.

This year's parade on Sunday was organised by the Cambridge i-Site with 40 float entries which ranged from old fire trucks, vintage cars, milk tankers, tractors, ride-on lawn mowers and much more.

"It was a lovely day; there were lots of lovely floats and a lot of happiness around. It all goes over so quickly, lots of planning goes into it and then it's just all over," said Cambridge i-Site volunteer and the Christmas parades coordinator Vicki Ewing.

Children and their families of Cambridge Early Childhood Centre rolled through the parade in a trailer on the back of a tractor. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

Vicki says there would have easily been a thousand people taking part in the parade with many more lining Victoria Street, Duke Street and even Alpha Street up around Victoria Square.

Camille Guzzwell from The Breeze Waikato was the master of ceremonies and Cambridge and Districts and Te Awamutu and Districts Highland Pipe Bands played Christmas carols for the parade.

Each year four category awards are given out and then an overall winner is chosen.

It was the float of Waipa District Libraries and Parks team which won the overall award after they won the GW Scotts Associate Community Groups category award.

Their float consisted of a ride-on lawn mower, a mini digger, a tractor and a Waipā Council truck decorated in Christmas wrapping paper, tinsel, costume props and tree ornaments.

Waipa District Council parks operator Darrian Gedge on a ride on lawn mower which was a part of the winning Waipa District Council's Libraries and Parks float. Photo / Caitlan Johnston

Cambridge Early Learning Centre won the Picture Show Preschool category with their tractor and trailer float, Goodwood School's Polar Express float won them the Cambridge Community Board's School category and Cambridge Grains won the Kaz Designs Business category with their float that included people in reindeer costumes, a sleigh and numerous Christmas trees.

The four category winners all received a $250 New World voucher and the overall winners received a further $500 New World voucher.

K.S. Cambridge School of Dance also received a highly commended award for their all around the world themed float.