District’s diversity on show

All the colour and flair of Waitaki’s cultural diversity was on show at Saturday’s Oamaru Christmas Parade.

Several thousand people lined a section of Thames Highway and lower Thames St to watch the annual parade, which officially kicked off the road to the festive season in North Otago.

The district’s large Filipino community was particularly well represented.

Filipino Waitaki Inc was represented by scores of people in traditional dress, who danced to a Panagbenga Flower Festival theme during the roughly 30-minute parade.

Members of the Pasifika community, many dressed to reflect their culture, marched alongside a truck with a distinctly Pasifika theme while those in the vehicle performed musical numbers for the crowd.

A small number of the district’s Thai community also took part, again in colourful dress.

The parade also reflected the district’s agricultural background as a huge number of trucks, tractors and even a few animals made their way along the parade route.

There was also plenty of entertainment on show for the younger parade attendees.

Many squealed with delight at the sight of Minnie Mouse, Marshall from the animated series Paw Patrol, Cookie Monster, Snow White and a couple of minions from the movie of the same name.

Rounding out the parade was Santa himself, generous enough to take time out of his busy schedule to visit Oamaru.

Organiser Anton Roswell, of the Big O, said the parade achieved its aim.

"The whole idea was to make the kids and parents happy and get them smiling. That’s why we do it. It was great and the cultural community groups were just outstanding."