Mark your calendars for a day of festive fun and community spirit as the Horowhenua Christmas Parade and Carnival makes its much-anticipated return on Saturday 7 December 2024 from 2pm to 6pm.

With the incredible support of Higgins, who is sponsoring traffic management for this year’s event, the parade is back to bring joy and Christmas cheer to our community.

This year’s parade will be one for the books, featuring a record-breaking 42 floats. A true celebration of the creativity and holiday spirit across Horowhenua. Starting at the corner of Victoria Street and Weraroa Road, the floats will wind their way down to Bath Street, culminating outside Levin Domain on Salisbury Street, where the Christmas Carnival awaits.

This year’s parade will also feature the More FM Pack the Bus initiative, a heart-warming effort to make the festive season brighter for local children and families in need. Following the parade, the bus will be parked at the Village Green, where the community can join in the magic by contributing a non-perishable food item or unwrapped gift. This year's charities are Birthright Levin, Women’s Refuge, and the Levin Interchurch Foodbank.

Mayor Bernie Wanden is excited about this year’s event, saying, "Christmas is a time to come together and celebrate as a community, and the Horowhenua Christmas Parade and Carnival is the perfect opportunity to do just that. We are incredibly grateful to Higgins for helping bring this event back to our streets. It’s going to be a magical day for families, friends, and visitors alike."

Higgins Branch Manager, Johan Van Wyk adds, "We’re thrilled to support the Horowhenua Christmas Parade and Carnival. It’s an honour to contribute to such a cherished community tradition, and we can’t wait to see the streets of Levin come alive with festive spirit."

Mayor Bernie confirmed that he has made a special request to Santa himself to join the festivities and he has confirmed he’ll be there! Come along, bring your friends and whānau, and let’s make this Christmas unforgettable.

Road Closures

To ensure the safety of participants and spectators, the following streets will be temporarily closed on Saturday 7 December 2024 during the Horowhenua Christmas Parade and Carnival.

Victoria Street: Closed from 11am to 2.30pm for float assembly. Resident access is allowed, but no street parking during this time.

Salisbury Street (Between Bath Street and Queen Street) Closed between 1pm to 6.30pm for for the Christmas Carnival.

Weraroa Road (Victoria Street to Bath Street): Closed from 1.45pm to 2.30pm.

Bath Street (Weraroa Road to Salisbury Street): Closed from 1.45pm to 2.30pm.

Hannan Street: Closed from 1.45pm to 2.30pm.

Carlisle Street: Closed from 1.45pm to 2.30pm.

Detour routes will be clearly signposted. We thank everyone for their understanding and cooperation.

For more details, visit horowhenua.govt.nz/Christmas or contact us at (06) 366 0999.

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