Procession's New Route

Press, Volume C, Issue 29447, 24 February 1961, Page 11

Procession's New Route

Tomorrow, the 1961 Floral Festival procession will wend its way along a new two** mile route to the Addington Show Grounds. If the pattern of past years is anything to judge by, thousands of Christchurch folk will travel by car, bus, cycle, or on foot, to see the 40 or more decorated floats pass by. From a small beginning in 1957, the floral procession—highlight of the whole festival period—has steadily grown, until last year, overseas visitors and 60,000 citizens acclaimed it as *'the best ever.”

Thia left no doubt in the minds of the organisers, the Christchurch Junior Chamber and the chairman of the floral procession committee (Mr D. R. Bowman), that the procession should remain as a permanent major feature of the city’s cultural activities. In the procession tomorrow will be seen about 40 decorated floats, about eight or nine bands, marching teams, decorated bicycles, clowns, and pony-club riders. From its assembly point in the City Council’s car park in Tuam street at 10.30 a.m., the procession will travel along Tuam street to Hospital corner, along South Hagley avenue and Lincoln road to the Addington Show Grounds. The new route was adopted for several reasons, said the chairman (Mr Bowman). ’’First, it doesn’t upset transport arrangements in the city,” he said. “It will also pass the

hospital, and so allow some of the patients to see it, whereas previously they could not The Addington Show Grounds has greater facilities than Hagley Park.” On arrival at the Show Grounds, the procession will end by being formed up in the show-ring, and the floats placed on display. After an opening address by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning) at 12.30 p.m.. the public will be continuously entertained until 10.30 p.m. Included in the entertainment will be band and march-ing-team displays, decorated bicycle judging, demonstrations of model aeroplanes, an M.E.D. power pole and resuscitation demonstration, an “escape act” by a man in a strait-jacket hung by his feet from a crane, miniature car racing, go-karting, mystery driving, gymnastics displays, and stock-car relay racing.

So that families, after following the parade, can stay at the grounds and “make a day of it,” 57 stalls manned by workers from various charitable organisations will provide a variety of food—sweets, drinks, and ice cream, sandwiches, hot pies, and chips, packaged lunches, and afternoon teas. The major attraction of the evening programme—of appeal to all men interested in motoring during the last 60 years, and all women interested in fashions during the same period will be a “Motoring Through the Ages” parade and mannequin parade, to be lit up by searchlights. All the costumes for the occasion have been provided by the Canterbury Repertory Society, whose members will also model them. The cars are drawn in the main from the Vintage Car Club, with latermodel vehicles provided by private citizens.

In this presentation, some of the vehicles on show will include a two-horse landau depicting fashions before 1900, a Model T Ford depicting miners travelling to West Coast mining towns, a 1930 Rolls-Royce carrying a Vice-regal party at the opening of Parliament, and a 1960 Citroen carrying models wearing today’s fashions. ★ All told, about 16 vehicles will comprise the parade. During their time in the ring, tunes appropriate to the period will be played.