While the parade and carnival will both still be held on the usual date - the first Saturday of December - the location has shifted to a more suitable site.
The Kaiapoi parade and carnival, plus a new evening music event, will now be held at Kaiapoi Rugby Park, which borders Smith and Ranfurly Sts, on December 7.
Event organiser, Kaiapoi Promotion Association chairperson Martin Pinkham, said KPA members and the public were asked for their input on the proposed change at the recent Kaiapoi Connections meeting.
The previous location, the regeneration grounds behind the Kaiapoi Library and district council buildings, are no longer fit for purpose, he said.
"The areas used were becoming increasingly unusable due to their location and the rough ground which had caused a few injuries over the six years we have been using them," Pinkham said.
"Also this would be last year that the regeneration site would be available."
He said the KPA has been working closely with the Waimakariri District Council to find a new suitable site to be used as a permanent outdoor events venue for all of Kaiapoi.
"As well, we sought ideas on how to move the Santa Parade to a new location because of growing traffic control problems," Pinkham says.
He said after discussions with interested parties and users of Kaiapoi Rugby Park, the possibility of using the park to host the events made a lot of practical and financial sense.
The committee completed an assessment of options and concluded that Kaiapoi Park was the best location.
"At our committee meeting last week we confirmed the proposal to relocate the parade and the carnival to Rugby Park and to also use the nearby Wylie Park as a car parking venue with a controlled crossing over Ranfurly Street."
Pinkham also says a new multiband music event will be held at the park in the evening.
"This also made sense as we have all the facilities there, the food stalls are in place already as is the stage and we have already signed a major band for the show."
The event will be called the Kaiapoi Sounds of Summer and will host four bands.
"Many people have been asking us to hold a big music event in the evening to make the Santa Parade and Christmas carnival a whole day of celebration for the people of Kaiapoi and the many thousands of visitors we get on the day from Christchurch and Canterbury."
Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board chairperson Jackie Watson said she quite likes the idea of Rugby Park as it has lots of easy access and good parking nearby.
