THE Cottage was the overall winner on the night in the Te Kūiti Christmas Parade.
THE weather was kind to the Santa parades of Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga this year, with both completing their circuits before the heavens opened. And the wait was worth it, with this the first parade both towns have been able to have for the past couple of years because of Covid restrictions. Te Kūiti played host to 12 entries on Friday evening, with crowds turning up to see the hard work put into the floats, ranging from schools on trucks to bubble blowing on trailers. Santa was in fine form with his ho-ho-ho-ing and helpful wee elves handing out plenty of lollies to waiting children. Winners of the floats were: The Cottage, with second place Number 12 and brightly coloured members of Falum Dafa taking third spot. In Ōtorohanga on Saturday morning, the sun shone on the proceedings with a good crowd turning out to watch the 19 floats go past. Judges Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country, and Heather Carston, editor of King Country News, said it was difficult to pick out the top three because so much work had gone into such a lot of the entries. In the end, the giant Christmas truck of Ōtorohanga South School edged out the cleverly and fully decorated cow tanker representing Fonterra and Tidy Garden’s great float featuring the puffed-out wee French bulldog Gucci which managed to walk on one side of the street.
