Rotorua to be lit up for Christmas

File photo

Rotorua's central city will be lit up like a Christmas tree for this year's first "Light Rotorua" campaign.

The campaign will be launched in the City Focus at 7pm on Thursday with entertainment, including some Christmas carols, and the big "switch- on" which will see parts of the city lit up to add to the festive spirit. Throughout the campaign there will be competitions and businesses opening late on Thursdays to take advantage of daylight savings and the Night Market.

Light Rotorua communications manager Emma Wilson said the campaign was all about bringing joy and the Christmas spirit to the city and its people.

"It all started mid-way through 2014, when a group of passionate locals got together to share their dream of lighting up Rotorua for Christmas in an attempt to make 2014 the biggest, brightest Christmas ever.

"With the support of many local businesses, and the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust, we were able to put our plan into motion," she said.

This week and early next week workshops to help local businesses light up their windows will be held for those who want to get in on the action.

She said a competition would be held to find the best lit-up retail business in the city and the Rudolph the Red Stag Reindeer Hunt will see 20 small reindeer hidden in shops around the city for people to find.

Rotorua Trust chairman Grahame Hall and Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick will open proceedings and switch on the city's lights at Thursday's official opening.

Inner City Focus Group spokesman Mike Steiner said it was an exciting idea and he hoped businesses would get behind it. "These ideas only work if the community get behind them," he said.

"We want to encourage people to dress up their shops for the festive season, it might take a few weeks to catch on, but we really want to see that festive atmosphere here in town.

"We invite everyone to come down on Thursday and enjoy the entertainment, the big Christmas tree and see what it will look like."

Mr Steiner said planter boxes with red and green maples would line parts of Tutanekai St and he encouraged businesses from all parts of the city to take part and show their support.

For details head to Facebook/lightrotorua.