Santa pulls record crowd

Press, 20 November 1989, Page 1

Santa pulls record crowd

By

SARONA IOSEFA

Warm weather and a carnival atmosphere in Christchurch yesterday attracted a record number of about 100,000 onlookers to the annual Farmers’ Trading Company Santa Parade. People were standing 10-deep at the peak of the parade to catch a glimpse of the 31 floats which left Park Terrace at 2 jp.m. In Victoria Square, the last leg of the parade, people perched in trees, on top of bus-stop shelters and the nearest and handiest strong pair of shoulders to see. The Shop Trading Hours Commission allowed the opening of Farmers in Colombo Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — so a good sized crowd was already milling around the city about midday. A party on Oxford Terrace at the rear of the Town Hall, had food stalls and fair rides that provided a carnival atmosphere which continued long after the parade ended just after 3 p.m. It was difficult to tell who enjoyed the parade most — adults or children. Thousands of visors provided by F.T.C. were a welcome protection against the sun which pushed the temperature to 23 deg. Many sat in the gutters and part-way -into the streets for a close view of the parade. Among the new floats was the nostalgic Buzzy-Bee painted in the familiar colours of the ' once popular wooden pull-along toy. • Other new floats were a largerabbit, a Santa Bear, and a telephone on which to ring Santa Claus. The new “haunted house” float was the result of a competition run among Christchurch children this year for new float ideas. . .

Airs Imperial Army’s rather unusual marching style rallied a great cry of support from the crowd, as did the various marching, pipe and brass bands. : The meandering Peter Pan pirate ship provoked squeals among children who were yelled at by the pirates and threatened with swords. The Garden City Rock 'n* Roll band had many swaying to their music as they passed by. Few floats created as much stir as the arrival of Santa Claus at the Victoria Square entrance of Farmers store. r ■ ~ ;

People were still milling through the Colombo Street F.T.C. store after the parade to meet Santa Claus and watch a concert.

The South Island marketing coordinator for Farmers, Mrs Paula Gray, said the parade was the culmination of eight months work.

Last year’s crowd was about 60,000. According to St John Ambulance there was one casualty at the parade. An elderly woman collapsed in the crowd in Victoria Square about 3.10 p.m. She was taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital. .