CARNIVAL TIME

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18571, 22 December 1925, Page 4

CARNIVAL TIME

A WEEK OF FUN. Were everyone of the thousands of holiday-makers who every summer spend their vacation in tho freßh air and sunshine of Timaru's beautiful beach to be asked, "What, amongst all the amusements to be had in Timaru during the summer, do you most look forward to?" tho answer would be, in nine cases out of ten) "The Caroline Bay Carnival!" The residents of Timaru, similarly, questioned, would make the same reply. Probably no funotion of its kind in the Dominion enjoys a wider popularity than has been gained by the Carnival in the four years since it was inaugurated, fpr it provides a full week of gaiety, ! of ondlcss diversions by day and by night, such as cannot fail to bring joy to even the mot confirmed "crepe-, hanger"—to use an Americanism. This year, the Carnival will bo opened on Boxing Day and will be continued until January 2nd, and it is safe to say_ that it will be even bigger and brighter than its predecessors. The object of the Caroline Bay Association, which, promotes the Carnival, is twofold: to provide- amusement for both visitors and residents, and to raifio further funds for the carrying on of its work of improving and beautifying the Bay. Previous carnivals have been highly successful from every point-of view, and the proceeds have enajiMjtbAjAsgociation to install, ftmongstyOTOfcf'-things, tho fine chain of lampd| wfiiob. now tstends in the form of a horse-aho© from the sea--ward end of the Marine parade, right round, the beach, and along the Benvenue Cliffs. The .line .of lights is one and a quarter miles iri length, and contains 120 lamps of 200 candle-power each. The effect at night is beautjgul tt> a degree, and makes Timaru imd ov the bestjlighted watering places in Australia and New Zealand. Th«&Aa£, .adciation 'has also erected, since the last carnival* ft' number of additional rustic shelters on the. lawns, afntbhap, heaters on the beach !As flitered for the, wpuseinent a&d the unlikely being present,, at. all—wjll be ine*ousable. The popular sideshows, between twenty and twenty-five of them, will be as novel and entertaining as ever; there will be 1 all sorts of games, and competitions for all ages, 'the winners of which will receive splen'did pliaes. The fancy dress competitions, which were previously so successful, will again be a featrre of the Carnival in. both juvenile and adult departments, the former being held in the afternoons, and the latter in the evenings. Sand modelling competitions will be held for the children on each afternoon, and good' prizes will be awarded for the best models ,• in addition, there will be the see-saws, slides, and round-abouts dear to the hearts of the young. Fun for Everybody. Every evening a dance will be held in the spacious Bay pavilion, on the best floor in Timaru,, and to the musio pf a first-class jaza band. It is intended to make the final danee of the* Carnival, on January 2nd, a night of high revelry—confetti, carnival caps, and streamers will be given to everyone, and frivolity will reign until the earning of the Sabbath. It has always been customary to usher in the New Year with every possible kind of noise, and although many of the little' ceremonies and revels attached to the passing of the Old Year and the coming of the New appear in these days to lie falling into disuse, most peonle still like to sit up until after midnight to exchange, .good wishes, sup on wine and' Christmas cake, go "first-footing," and make resolutions which thev never keep. This year, New Year's- EVe will be further ' enlivened by a magnificent fireworks display on the' Bay in conjunction with the Carnival, commencing at 11.30 p.m. and lasting for an hour. The Associar tion has arranged with the Wainohi Park Fireworks Co. to put on the display, which will, of course, be free. The new departure will add much to the enjoyment of the Carnival .and the spirit of rejoicing abroad at New Year. Always crowded with happy pleasureseekers in the summer months, the Bay is a scene of unusual activity in Carni-val-time. All day long bathers disport themselves in the, .sparkling sea or bask on the warm sattd in the sun; hundreds of childre* %re building sandcastles or romping on the slides and . swings; merry 'groups stroll from side- * show to side-show, enjoying to the full all the sights and sounds of the Carni-

val. At night, a myriad coloured lights sparkle upon the broad roof of the pavilion and gleam amongst the trees, and along the shore the orescent of lamps sheds a soft white light over the sands, the whole making a scene of fairy splendour. A band is playing in the rotunda, and a dance is in progress in the pavilion, while all the fun of tho Carnival goes on undiminished. Carnival Week is a happy time indeed, and the infectious joy of it is irresistible. SHOPPING WEEK. ADVERTISING THE TOWN. The launching in Timaru last September of a Shopping Week festival —a departure not entirely new to New Zealand, yet sufficiently untried as to make its success or failure a matter of uncertainty, in this part of the Dominion at least —marked an important step in the progress of the town, for it signalised the recognition by the business community of the necessity for cooperation in fostering civic pride, in encouraging the public of the district to "shop in their own town," and in making tho advantages of Timaru more widely known throughout the country. Tho success of the venture was unquestionable, and ensured it an annual place in tho list of functions designed to increase the prosperity of the town. No effort was spared by tho committee in whose hands the arrangements ■were placed, and for tho week ■which was the duration of tho festival, the business soetlon of the town was literally transformed. With very few exceptions the. retailers cntorcd wholcinto the spirit of the movement, and their attractively-dressed shop windows demonstrated to the full 'the wide ; ..rango of the stocks and the emcien'cy of thej service *which char-, acterises, Timaru retail establishments. On two days trades processions were held;" &4d 'hero again original and artistic- displays emphasised • the general recognition of the fact that it pays to advertise. In the evenings, the main streets were brilliantly lit, aid hung at frequent intervals with festoons of coloured electric lights, which lent an air of carnival to the proceedings, and gave a charming setting to the bright, attractive window, displays. The entertainment of the crowds which nightly visited tBo town was not overlooked, and a comprehensive programme of concerts and tugs-of-war and other amusements was arranged, and most successfully carried out. In the afternoons, too, novelty races of various descriptions were held in the streets, and provided a great deal of amusement, as did several competitions and species of treasure-hunts. Success Achieved. Reporting subsequently on the festival, tho committee stated that it was of opinion that the main idea behind Shopping Week—the advertising of Timaru as tho commercial centre of South Canterbury—had been accomplished. The excellent trading and industrial displays made during the week must have produced, and must continue to produce, good results, while the energy, loyal co-operation, and enthusiasm shown by practically every trader in the town, proved that the progressive spirit was becoming more apparent. A good deal of money had been spent in the town which would not otherwise have come to Timaru. This had been distributed mainly among tea rooms, fruit and confectionery shops, hotels, and food businesses though sev.cral other lines of business reported increased roturns, and the municipal bus receipts had been greatly increased. Some firms reported a better tone in business after the week, and tho general feeling seemed to be that the ordinary business had, on the whole, been stimulated. It would appear that the indirect benefits, which it was, of course, impossible to estimate, arising out of the effort, must be considerable and of a lasting nature, and that Timaru had received a big advertisement as a commercial town and as a holiday resort. A number of recommendations have already been brought forward for next year's Shopping Week, which, in view of the valuable experience gained with the initial venture, should be an even greater success. The promoters of the scheme which was inaugurated last September are deserving of all praise, and of the unstinted support of all members of the community in their endeavours to secure for Timaru an even more prominent place upon the map.