Hamilton Christmas City serves up a cracker festive event

Hamilton Christmas City serves up a cracker festive event programme

3 December 2014

Hamilton continues to grow its Christmas City status by adding a number of new initiatives to its 2014 Christmas events programme.

This year Hamilton will be the first city in New Zealand to host a revolutionary synthetic ice-skating rink, and Garden Place will be transformed into Christmas Place, a festive wonderland with daily fun activities all the family will enjoy.

On 6 December our magnificent 27-metre Christmas tree, the tallest in the country, will be lit at a special ceremony at 7.30pm in Garden Place, and the city will buzz with markets, parades, carol singing, Christmas street lighting, theatre and family events throughout the month.

From 7.30pm -9.30pm on Monday 8 December, residents are invited to Christmas Cheer with the Mayor, an opportunity to view the tree and Garden Place lights from the 9th Floor of the Council building while enjoying festive refreshments with Mayor Julie Hardaker.

Old favourite, Carols by Candlelight will return to Hamilton Lake on 20 December and the ever-popular First Credit Union Hamilton Christmas Parade hits town on Sunday 14 December.

This year there is also a Christmas lights competition in which Hamilton residents will vote for their favourite decorated house through the Hamilton Christmas City facebook page.

Mayor Julie Hardaker says there is going to be lots of Christmas fun happening across Hamilton this year, with our favourites which are unique to our city alone, like the Temple View Christmas Lights, Trees at the Meteor and New Zealand’s biggest Christmas Tree.

“This year, as we bring our 150th birthday celebrations to an end, Garden Place will be turned into Christmas Place with new and more fun activities for families to enjoy,” says Mayor Hardaker.

Other events happening around the city include:
• Santa trail, Waikato Museum, 1 December 2014 - 11 January 2015
• Christmas at the Park, Flagstaff, 7 December, 3pm-8pm
• Children’s Christmas Market, Waikato Museum, 13 December, 11am-2pm
• First Credit Union Hamilton Christmas Parade, Anglesea Street, 14 December, 3pm
• Christmas Drive-In Movie, Eastside Church Bisley Road, 18-20 December, 8pm-9.30pm

Hamilton City Council has decorated the city centre with festive street pole banners, and festive colour schemes on some of its iconic fountains, bridges and trees like the Norfolk Pine on Bridge Street - Anglesea Street roundabout.

The Council has also replaced all the green and red Christmas lights on its street poles with more energy efficient LED lights – making them brighter and better than ever. Christmas lights can be found along Victoria Street north, Ulster Street, Alexandra Street and Collingwood Street.

For more information about events and activities happening in the city visit www.hamiltonchristmascity.co.nz or pick up a handy map of events from any Hamilton library, Hamilton I-SITE Visitor Information Centre or Hamilton City Council in Civic Square.

To list an event email sarah.giles@hcc.govt.nz

ENDS

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