Festive celebration takes to the streets

Christmas comes to Clutha on Saturday 6 December with the annual parade and market.

The Clutha District Christmas Parade & Market, organised by the Clutha District Council (CDC) and an organising committee with community volunteers, is one of the largest free community events in the area and celebrates the beginning of the festive season.

CDC’s Community Development Team Leader Lilly Paterson was thrilled that parade entries and market stalls were up this year.

“Entries were good for the parade last year at 31, nearly double from the year before. We’ll have 33 on Clyde Street in Balclutha on the first Saturday in December, which is great.”

This includes floats, walkers and vehicles.

“The stall numbers are excellent too – likely to be 60-plus, and significantly up from the 47 last year. We were still being asked for more spots after the cut-off date. Local stallholders just want to be involved. Even if it’s not a big selling day for them, it’s great to be part of a community day out, to get to chat to people, and see everyone having a great time.”

The event, while always popular on the calendar, seemed to be having a resurgence, Miss Paterson said.

“Last year instead of having an overall winner, we introduced four categories – education, business, community and the arts, and that has clearly attracted more entries over the past two years.”

First, second and third places are given in each of the categories, “and that went down really well last year,” she said.

Strong support from the Samoan and Filipino communities reflected the district’s growing cultural diversity.

This year, the former Stirling Sports building will be transformed into a Santa’s Grotto, with face painting and the Letter to Santa colouring competition. Sport Clutha has loaned its indoor play equipment so that kids can burn off some steam between activities.

Following the parade, which begins at 1pm, Santa and Mrs Claus will come down off their sleigh to visit the grotto for photos.

Balloon twisting extraordinaire Pippity-Pop will be about, and the Link Centre’s Pact Group will be singing Christmas carols – look out for them in the Plaza.

Everyone was encouraged to come along and support the event.

“It can be a lot of work preparing a float, and organising the event,” Miss Paterson said. “But when you see the people turn out, and the smiles on children’s faces, it’s all worth it.”

• Holding and maintaining this as a free community event would not be possible without sponsorship, this year from The Trusts Community Foundation, Mercury Energy, Morgan O’Shea Scaffolding, WAE Engineering, Four Square Rosebank and Balclutha Bookshop.
• Parade starts 1pm
• Market runs from 10am to 2pm.