Time to warm your carolling voices

CAROLS AT COBBLESTONES: Keitha Roberts (left), Colin Palmer (Father Christmas) and Graham Croton practise for Saturday. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Festive fever is hitting Greytown with the Christmas parade, Carols at Cobblestones and Christmas markets kicking off this weekend.

The gates open at 5pm this Saturday for the annual Carols at Cobblestones Museum, for people to picnic and enjoy an evening of carolling and entertainment.

Graham Croton, chairman of the organising Friends of Cobblestones, is hoping the weather will play along for the family-friendly event.

"We are praying for good weather, we had over 300 people last year so we hope to do better than that."

The Greytown School kapa haka group will be performing before the carol singing starts at 6.45pm with classics like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Hark The Herald Angels Sing.

Father Christmas will also be there to give out lollies and draw the prizes for three lucky people.

Music will be played by the Masterton District Brass Band and later the St Luke's Gathering Band will provide entertainment.

Father Christmas will also appear at the Christmas parade set to start at 1pm on Saturday.

The parade coincides with the Greytown Christmas Market, featuring locally made goods, at the town hall.

For more last-minute Christmas presents, a retail market is also running daily from December 21 to 24 at the town hall.