Tuesday 27 November, 2012
The Telecom Tree lights up Victoria Park this Christmas
Telecom New Zealand is once again lighting up Auckland with the Telecom Tree returning to Victoria Park this Christmas.
The lighting of the Tree will take place this Saturday 1 December.
Telecom Chief Executive for Retail Chris Quin says that the Telecom Tree is now integrated into the Auckland Christmas
event calendar, with more than 100,000 visitors in 2011.
“On opening night, we’re encouraging Aucklanders to come down to Victoria Park – bring your family, bring a picnic and
enjoy the spectacular display.
“We will have some very exciting special guests performing– so exciting I’ve been sworn to secrecy on who they are! And
whether you’re 9 or 90, you can’t help but feel the magic of Christmas when you see light rush up the 7-storey high
Telecom Tree to the star at the top,” says Mr Quin.
The tree has a total of 375,000 lights and it will have a lighting display running from dusk till dawn every night until
Boxing Day. Telecom will once again give children (and adults!) the chance to call the Santa line from special phone
boxes at the base of the Tree. Strings of fairy lights, connecting the phone boxes to the Tree, are activated by the
sound of children’s voices and their wish will travel up the tree to the star at the top. From there they are
transmitted to Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. Anyone can also visit www.telecomtree.co.nz from 1 December to design their own light sequence which will be ‘played’ on the tree for all visitors to enjoy.
To help share the spirit of Christmas, Telecom is also encouraging visitors to the Tree to bring Christmas presents for
children in need. The gifts will be distributed by the Telecom Foundation to Auckland City Mission and the Kidz First
Children’s Hospital in Manukau.
The Tree will be right in the middle of the “Auckland’s Christmas Walk”, which includes the largest advent calendar
Auckland has ever seen in Silo Park at Wynyard Quarter, and of course the Franklin Road lights - also lit on Saturday.
What: Lighting of the Telecom Christmas Tree
When: Saturday 1 December
7.30pm - Entertainment, with special guests, begins
9.00pm - Lighting ceremony takes place
What else: Launch of Auckland’s largest ever Advent Calendar in Silo Park, Wynyard Quarter www.wynyardadventcalendar.co.nz Official lighting up of Franklin Road
ENDS