Horses lead the Whanganui Heritage Parade

A suitably noble way to start a heritage parade. Photos / Paul Brooks

In an October filled with events and exhibitions, a definite highlight of Whanganui Heritage Month was Saturday's parade of many things antique.

Led by a magnificent four-in-hand carriage carrying the mayor-elect, Andrew Tripe, and his party, a parade of wheeled vehicles and pedestrians in costume thrilled a huge crowd as it left City College grounds into St Hill St, turned left into Ingestre St and made its way down Victoria Avenue, exiting into Ridgway St.

The weather was perfect, the sky blue and cloudless, inspiring a couple of vintage planes to circle overhead when the parade had all but finished.

Vintage vehicles and horses are obviously popular, as the crowd was of Christmas Parade proportions, if not bigger, with people lining the length of Victoria Ave, in places four or five deep.

Vintage cars not often seen on Whanganui streets were in the parade, as well as more specialised vehicles like the odd hearse, fire engine and military-style jeep and motorcycle.

Ian and Fay Chamberlain took their 1906 Reo for a spin and Ian showed how a crank handle is used to start a vintage car when stalled — briefly — in Ridgway St.

The vehicles would join the Heritage Vehicle Park-Up on Sunday at Whanganui Racecourse and some would park alongside Jubilee Stadium where the Heritage and Antique Collectables Fair attracted hundreds of viewers and buyers. Steam Rail Wanganui brought their jiggers out for the day and the public queued up for rides along the track.

JA 1271 came to town.

On Monday a steam train came to town, courtesy of Steam Incorporated, attracting plenty of people and bringing a tear of nostalgia to the eyes of those old enough.

Ann Petherick (left) and Helen Craig after the parade at the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

Congratulations to Ann Petherick, Helen Craig and all concerned for all the hard work in making Heritage Month a huge success.