9 December The Kaiapoi Christmas Carnival and Santa Parade December 9, 2019 By Hayley Tate Community, Events The late morning rain did not dampen the Christmas spirit in Kaiapoi, as people attended the 2019 Kaiapoi Christmas Carnival on Saturday 7 December. The sugary scent of cinnamon donuts could be smelt as people made their way down the main vein of Kaiapoi, passing the 34 stalls on William Street run by local businesses and community groups. These stalls, along with another 75 and 18 separate food outlets decorating the east side of William Street between Raven Quay and Hilton Street, broke the record for the largest number of stalls held at this event. Selling a range of items from painted stones, wall art and vintage signs, the search for bargains and tricky Christmas gifts became easy. Wendy Quigley, owner of colourful clothing store Junk2Funk said it was her first stall at the carnival. She said she enjoyed sitting in her trailer out of the rain watching the world go by. Many customers took shelter in her trailer and admired Quigley’s creative customised slogan t-shirts. Owner of The Herbalist, Helena Watson praised the carnival for being well organised and creating lots of space for people to wander around. There was something to entertain everyone, with local musicians and dancers taking the stage, plenty of vintage cars at the Show and Shine for car enthusiasts and a fun zone for children to ride bikes, shoot hoops and play mini golf. Wishes even came true for young Disney fans as they took photos with their favourite Disney Princesses. Event organiser, Tracy Inwood was pleased with the large number of stalls and thought the overall event went smoothly. “It’s been a really good Christmas Carnival.” she said. At 1:30pm the sun came out in time for the Santa Parade where hundreds gathered along the main streets. The Grinch made an appearance, alongside Darth Vader, Ronald MacDonald, Spiderman, T-Rex and all the way from the North Pole, the man in the big red suit himself, Santa. Waimakariri District Council Deputy Mayor, Neville Atkinson seemed to enjoy the parade, saying it was “the best parade ever”. And there were prizes! The prize for best float from a school was shared between Kaiapoi North School & Kaiapoi Borough School, the best Commercial float was won by Karen Bailey of Proppy Real Estate, the best Non-Profit as well as best overall float was won by the Northern Bulldogs Rugby League Club, and the Waimak App peoples choice was one by the Flintlock Foundation motor-bikes. Related Articles Kaiapoi River Carnival 2020 Paddleboards and kayaks will be all part of the fun on the Kaiapoi River in the Hazeldine Construction & Visit Waimakariri Kaiapoi River Carnival and Boat Show next Sunday. 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