Tauranga Christmas in the Park attracts thousands

Crowds at Tauranga Christmas in the Park. Photo/Andrew Warner

An estimated 10,000 made the trip to Blake Park yesterday to watch an incredible line-up of singers and acts at Tauranga Christmas in the Park.

The field was packed with people on picnic rugs and beach chairs as the likes of Dave Dobbyn, Julia Deans, Modern Maori Quartet and Tiki Taane performed.

Organiser Rachelle Duffy said the event would have had double the number of last year's patrons, down because of rain.

It was hard to know the exact number of people at the event as there were no ticket sales, but she expected they had hit their goal of 10,000 people.

A caravan full of food and a van full of presents were donated by festival goers, which will be presented to local charities tomorrow.

Tiki Taane filmed shots for his new single No Place Like Home at the event, which is expected to be released this summer.

See photos of the event in tomorrow's Bay of Plenty Times.