Santa arrives in New Brighton on inflatable rescue boat

Pirates, dinosaurs and faeries took to the streets for the annual New Brighton Seaside Christmas Parade on Saturday.

Hundreds lined the pavements from Beresford St to Union St to catch a glimpse of Santa and the colourful floats.

The big red guy followed the parade in the New Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club's inflatable rescue boat.

The afternoon included entertainment and a market in the lead-up to the community parade.

  • Santa will make his next appearance on Sunday at the new-look Christchurch Christmas Show Parade at Canterbury Agricultural Park. Admission is free and the gates will open at 11am with the parade scheduled to start at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Gore residents turned out in their hundreds for the district's annual Christmas parade.

Thirty-three floats were in the parade and then residents adjourned to the Gore Gardens for a carnival.

- By Geoff Sloan
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air