Source: Radio New Zealand
Santa in one of the Auckland parade’s previous years. Supplied
Auckland’s annual Santa Parade is expected to draw 150,000 people into the city centre to see dozens of floats make their way down Queen Street.
The parade begins at one 1pm on Sunday on the corner of Mayoral Drive and Cook Street, with all inner-city roads closed until 4.30pm.
Auckland Transport’s (AT) general manager for public transport operations Rachel Cara said buses and trains were the easiest way to get to the Santa Parade.
“We’re expecting up to 150,000 people will head to the city centre to see Santa up close this Sunday, so we’re encouraging people to make the most of AT’s frequent buses and trains to navigate the road closures and avoid traffic and parking stress,” she said.
“To help people get to and from the city safely we’re adding a handful of extra ferries, extra double decker buses for the Northern Express routes and six-carriage trains on our rail lines.”
AT will also have extra trains on standby at Waitematā Station to help people get home.
The agency also has a Christmas themed double-decker bus in the parade, to celebrate the role its bus drivers play in providing 65 million trips this year.
Meanwhile, organisers are hoping the weather won’t rain on their parade.
MetService forecasts rain, with some heavy downpours from 3pm – the parade finishes at 2.30pm.
The Santa Parade starts on the corner of Mayoral Drive and Cook Street, heads down Mayoral Drive, left into Queen Street, and right into Customs Street East, ending at the corner of Customs Street East and Britomart Place.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
