This year’s Kawerau Christmas in the Park will feature top local acts Made Alive, soloist Nikau Chater, The Hine Kingi band, Zumba Fitness, Putauaki Primary School kapa haka and TJ Taotua (Auckland-based rhythm and blues line-up), with more acts to be announced.

These acts will perform in the Radio 1XX Community Christmas Concert, at Prideaux Park from 1pm on Saturday, December 17.

Kawerau Christmas in the Park kicks off at 11am, with the New World Kawerau Santa Parade. Starting from the Ron Hardie Recreation Centre, the parade will do two laps of town before ending at Prideaux Park. The prize-giving will be on stage at 12.30pm. Anyone interested in having a float in the parade can collect entry forms from New World Kawerau, Kawerau District Council and the Kawerau i-Site (Plunket Street). Floats must be entered by December 12.

Kawerau's Christmas in the Park is the Eastern Bay of Plenty’s showcase festive entertainment event, which sees up to 10,000 people packing into Prideaux Park for the celebration. Kawerau District Council events and venues manager Lee Barton says this year’s event promises to be fantastic. “Kawerau Christmas in the Park attracts people from all over the district, as well as from outside the Bay of Plenty, and it’s a great way to wrap up a successful year of events. There’ll be something for everyone and I encourage everyone to come along for a fun family day out.”

The event is family-friendly – drugs, alcohol and gang regalia are not permitted. The organisers would also like to politely remind event comers that Prideaux Park is a smoke-free venue.

The afternoon concert is followed by a professional line-up of evening entertainment, directed by Chris Powley. Details of this will be announced soon.

For more information visit www.kawerauchristmasinthepark.co.nz