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Warwick Smith / Stuff
Blowing the bubbles of 2020, 8-year-old Sophie Bengston joins the Hire a Housewife float color in the Feilding Christmas parade.
The sun broke through to bathe the Feilding Christmas parade in a touch of summer as thousands of people participated or watched the festive spectacle.
From the early brass bars of Snoopy’s Christmas to the great man himself, the 30-minute series of floats and protesters brought smiles and candy and warm interaction with those who lined the streets.
The country town feel was not lacking, as vintage and off-farm vehicles played a dominant role in the display.
A cloud of artificial snow, tinsel threads, costumes, and even the odd goat or cub contributed to the community celebration.
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* Santa is officially in town with the Palmerston North parade going smoothly
* Christmas comes early for a couple in the Feilding parade
* ‘Can you bring Grandma back?’ and other awkward questions kids ask Santa
Covid-19 was not completely forgotten, as people enjoyed being close to each other and the participants.
Some floats had their QR code signs on display, and the elves displayed their own Covid-19 test station.
When the temperature dropped 20 degrees, the wind dropped and the gray clouds stayed away on the horizon, the efforts of the assistants of a liquor store handing out bottles of cold water and other floats with water guns elicited shouts of thanks.
Some of Feilding’s Cactus program graduates appeared to pull the truck carrying the winner of the best community float category, dancing enthusiastically and complementing the loud music.
There were bagpipes and songs, sirens and loud horns, all contributing to a parade that was loud enough to create a buzz.
Even Santa was not introduced by the bells of a sleigh, but by the roar of Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Just as he entered Fergusson St for his tour up and around the clock tower, the start of the parade almost caught up with him.
As the crowd began to disperse, many people again saw part of the parade when it reached the end of Kimbolton Rd.
Many participants did not seem to want it to end, the bright yellow Falun Dafa drummers still danced in the street as the regular vehicles resumed between the retreating floats.
And then many of the onlookers joined the traffic queues, heading back to Palmerston North.
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Syringe shooters at the Feilding Health Center freshen up the crowd.
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Zero Gravity Cheerleaders performers throw Kaitlin Snellgrove high during the parade.
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People take to the streets of Feilding in anticipation of Santa’s arrival.
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When you’re tired of standing … sit down.
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Brazilian percussion group Samba ao Vento jumps at their own pace.
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The Feilding trails are packed with spectators.
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The princess on the Falun Dafa float adds elegance to the show.
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Maraea Karaitiana, 4, has an advantageous position on top of a car over her grandmother Kas Lynch.
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Painted faces add to the color of Feilding’s Christmas parade.
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Merry Christmas from the MPR float (Manwatu People? S Radio).
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The SPCA goat float.
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The snow from the float blowing the snow was amazing.
