Combining the best of festive cheer in our city

Promoting Hamilton as the home of festive cheer became a reality today with the launch of the Hamilton Christmas City brand. (subs: 9 November 2012).

Representatives from Hamilton City Council, Hamilton Christmas Parade and Tree Trust, Harrowfield, the Temple View Christmas Lights, Trees at the Meteor and Hamilton Central Business Association – the group have been busy co-ordinating the city’s main Christmas events.

This year the city will be abuzz with markets, parades, carol singing, Christmas street lighting, special church services and family events.

A handy Hamilton Christmas City map will also be available from mid-November to guide residents and visitors around the main events which are all family-friendly, mostly free and confirm Hamilton as the home of Christmas festivities.

New Zealand’s largest Christmas tree will be lit up in Garden Place on December 1 at 9pm, while the city boasts a number of other unique events including:

• Temple Christmas Lights – lights on 8 December at 9.15pm
• Hamilton Christmas Parade – 9 December at 3pm
• Harrowfield Lights – 9 December at 9pm
• Kid’s Christmas Carnival - 15 December from 11am-3pm
• Trees at the Meteor – from 18 December

Garden Place trees will be aglow with festive lighting throughout the Christmas period with the Hamilton Central Business Association permanently lighting all the trees in Garden Place and Civic Square. The association will also serenade lunch-time visitors in Garden Place with carols from 17 to 22 December while their Christmas Angels will be spreading the festive spirit from 1-22 December.

City residents will have the opportunity to join the Mayor at the popular Christmas Cheer gathering returning on 11-13 December to view the Christmas Tree and the city from the 9th Floor of The Civic Building. Festive splashes of colour will line the city’s main streets, Victoria Bridge, the large Norfolk Pine tree on the Bridge/ Anglesea Streets roundabout, the main Council building and its fountains.

The Christmas Bus will take tours to Harrowfield and Temple View Christmas Lights on 7, 12 and 14 December.  The complimentary GO Bus will depart at 9pm for a gold coin donation from Caro Street. Seats are limited so bookings are essential.

To ensure everyone is included, the community is encouraged to list all their Christmas events on the What’s On Hamilton website: www.whatsonhamilton.co.nz and share their stories on the Hamilton Christmas City Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HamiltonChristmasCity.