Hamilton cancels Christmas parade and tree lighting concert because of Covid restrictions

Children will still be able to post letters to Santa with six Santa's Mailboxes available across the city. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton's iconic Christmas tree – the tallest in New Zealand at 27m – will soon be up in Garden Place to herald the festive season. But sadly, the annual Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony and concert have fallen victim to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Hamilton Christmas Charitable Trust announced the cancellations after meeting this week.

"The difficult decision was made today to cancel both the First Credit Union Christmas Parade and the Hamilton Christmas Tree Concert originally scheduled for December 5 and November 27 respectively, due to current Covid restrictions," the trust said in a statement

"The trustees were unanimous in this decision, noting restrictions were unlikely to free up enough to make either event safe to run," said chairman Russell Brown.

Trustees did agree to continue with the installation of the Christmas tree. "Hamiltonians can expect to see the tree light up towards the end of November along with some new daytime decor," he said. The tree will be lit nightly until early January.

The Garden Place Christmas tree will be up as usual and will light up nightly through to early January. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton's children and families will still be able to post letters to Santa, with six Santa's Mailboxes available across the city. Locations for these mailboxes are available on the trust website www.hamiltonchristmas.co.nz and Facebook page.

Santa's Mailboxes are available now until December 9, ensuring he can reply to each and every letter before packing up his sleigh for Christmas deliveries.

"The decisions were not easy as our trustees and highly valued family of sponsors take pride in bringing quality Christmas events to the people of Hamilton. We will be back in 2022 along with the sponsors and thousands of performers, volunteers, and floats," he said.

The Hamilton Christmas Charitable Trust was established in 2004 to ensure the city's annual Christmas parade remained a permanent feature of the Christmas calendar.

In July 2011, the trust was also gifted the Christmas tree that stands throughout December each year in Garden Place, Hamilton. A lighting ceremony and carols concert is traditionally held on the night the lights are switched on for the first time.

For the past five years, the trust has provided post boxes to get Santa's letters directly to him and his team of elves for reply, and last year introduced Santa in the Suburbs.