Wai Splash won Champion Float and People’s Choice in the Dannevirke Christmas parade for 2024.
“Every bit as good as last year” was the general consensus for this year’s Christmas Parade in Dannevirke.
A large crowd lined High St in Dannevirke in time for the parade, which began heading up from Stairs St around midday on December 7.
There were 38 entries in this year’s annual parade with a variety of floats to delight the crowd.
Led by the combined Dannevirke and Levin Brass Bands, the parade headed north up High St with the Ruahine Ramblerz marching team in step. An impressive display of firefighting equipment and damaged vehicles earned Fire and Emergency NZ - Dannevirke Volunteer Fire Brigade runner-up in the Most Original Float category along with Holmes Trucks.
A visitor from Feilding, Bernard Barnes, brought his steam traction engine and vintage tractor to add variety and this continued for the 40 minutes the parade took to pass. Tararua District councillor Steve Wallace interviewed most of the float drivers to add some interest for the crowd.
There were some amazing creations featuring lots of colour and structures hosting dozens of children and adults from a great number of groups.
Dannevirke Lions had spruced up Santa’s sleigh which was the one which everyone under the age of 7 particularly wanted to see and they were not disappointed.
The prize winners were:
Best Business Float: Scanpower, runner-up: Hewitts Motorycles Ltd.
Best Children’s Float: First Years Preschool, runner-up: Dannevirke Tigers RLC.
Most Original Float: A&P Association, runner-up: Holmes Truck Repairs & Fire and Emergency New Zealand - Dannevirke Fire Brigade.
Best Christmas-themed Float: Te Rehunga Hall, runner-up: Jack Smith.
Champion Float: Wai Splash, runner-up: Fantasy Cave.
People’s Choice: Wai Splash.
