Dust off your Santa hat and dig out those Christmas earrings – the festive season has landed in the Bay of Plenty.

This year, the region is rolling out a packed programme of parades, markets, concerts and community celebrations.

We’ve rounded up a host of Christmas events coming to Tauranga, the Western Bay of Plenty and Rotorua over the coming weeks.

On Saturday, Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park returns at Mount Maunganui’s Soper Reserve.

The annual event will run from 10am to 4pm and include Christmas markets, street food, live music, free workshops, Santa’s Grotto, fun football, face painting, stilt walkers, and a photo booth.

Community Projects Charitable Trust representative Rachelle Duffy says more than 150 craft vendors are locked in for the event.

Entertainment includes the Tuatara Collective, Tauranga Big Band, Frente Sudaka, FiveEightOne Productions, and father-sons band Indecisive.

Now in its 14th year, the event creates an opportunity for the community to come together before Christmas and enjoy a full day of entertainment, says Duffy.

“We want to encourage community spirit and giving back to enable us to support local charities and community groups who are working with families and children.

“For a gold-coin entry, wrapped gift, or a non-perishable food donation, you will get to enjoy a pre-Christmas event filled with live music, performances, arts, craft and artisan food/drink.”

Duffy said that in the past two years, the event had raised more than $50,000 for charity, “and we have seen thousands of non-perishable food items and Christmas presents donated”.

Three Santa Parades will be held in the wider western region this weekend, in Te Puke, Katikati and Pāpāmoa – Rotorua got in early with its Christmas parade last weekend.

Christmas Lights Trails are underway in Tauranga/Western Bay and Rotorua, with more than 80 homes and businesses lit up in total.

Chuffed Gifts brought Andrea Atkinson’s Christmas vision to life, stapling lights, securing inflatable decorations, and decking out the entire front yard. Photo / Kaitlyn Morrell

A mid-December treat for both cities will be the Greatest Christmas Show.

Promoted as New Zealand’s leading family Christmas event, it combines music, magic and entertainment.

The show is led by vocalists Cat Hay and Sasha Simic and features music, dance and cirque performances.

Capping off the festive season is Rotorua’s annual Christmas Day Community Lunch.

Rotorua Association of Christian Ministers chairman David Moore said its event was taking place at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre from 11.30am.

Moore said it was a “fully catered celebration meal” for between 400 and 500 people.

It was provided for those who would be on their own at Christmas or found it challenging to “put on a great celebration meal themselves”.

Rotorua's Christmas Day Community Lunch is a long-standing tradition. Photo / Ben Fraser

“They can come and enjoy the company of others, and it’s a great meal ... ”

There would be musical entertainment, a bouncy castle, a children’s play area, and activities.

Moore said Rotorua churches provided finance and volunteers for the event. The Rotorua Trust also provided funding, and the Rotorua Lakes Council provided the venue.

Moore said organisers were seeking volunteers for setting up and cleaning the venue, preparing food, hosting, and serving.

Those interested in volunteering or attending as a guest could register on the Rotorua Christmas Day Community Lunch Facebook page.

Attendees could also register at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Rotorua.

Christmas events:

On now until Monday, December 22:

• Bower Christmas Lights Trail, addresses across Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty, on nightly until at least 9pm.
• EVES Christmas Lights Trail, addresses across Rotorua, on nightly until 9.30pm.

Saturday, December 6:

• Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park, Soper Reserve in Mount Maunganui, from 10am to 4pm. Entry is a gold coin or donation of food, or a wrapped gift.
• Christmas Crackers concert, St Peter’s in the City, Spring St, Tauranga at 2.30pm.
• Seeka Te Puke Christmas Float Parade, Jellicoe St, from 11am to 3pm. Entry is free.
• Katikati Lions Santa Parade and Christmas in the Park, Moore Park, from 3.30pm to 5pm. Entry is free.

Sunday, December 7:

• Pāpāmoa Santa Parade, Dickson Rd, from 10am to 12pm. Entry is free.
• Home Alone & Special Guest! screening at Village Cinema from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

Thursday, December 11:

• ‘Allo ‘Allo – Le Christmas Dinner Show, Hotel Armitage from 7pm to 10pm.
• Seen Christmas Trees Rotorua, Pipe Band Hall from Thursday to Saturday – running 5pm to 8pm on Thursday and Friday, and 11am to 3pm on Saturday.
• Rotorua Christmas night market, Kuirau Park, 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

Friday, December 12:

• Christmas Quiz Night with Ben Hurley, Mercury Baypark Stadium, Mount Maunganui, at 6.30pm.
• Xmas Stand-up Comedy Show, Luxe Cinema in Pāpāmoa at 8pm.

Saturday, December 13:

• Waihī Beach Pop-Up Christmas Market, Waihī Beach Community Centre, from 10am.
• Honest Liars’ Christmas Show, 16th Ave Theatre, Tauranga at 7.30pm.
• The Mount Christmas Singalong, Mount Mainstreet from 1pm to 3pm.

Sunday, December 14:

• Carols in the Park, Kuirau Park, Rotorua, organised by the Rotorua Association of Christian Ministers. Family-friendly event from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Monday, December 15:

• The Light Remains, Bethlehem Baptist Church, 6.30pm (until December 17).
• Christmas in the Junction, The Arts Junction, Katikati, 9am to 3pm (same times until December 19).

Tuesday, December 16:

• The Greatest Christmas Show, Sir Howard Morrison Centre, Rotorua, 7pm.

Wednesday, December 17:

• The Greatest Christmas Show, Baycourt Addison Theatre, Tauranga, 4pm.

Saturday, December 20:

• Waihī Beach Christmas in the Village, Community Christmas Dinner (BYO) Waihī Beach Village, 4.30pm to 7pm.

Thursday, December 25:

• Rotorua Association of Christian Ministers Christmas Day Community Lunch, Energy Events Centre from 11.30am.

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.

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