30 November 2018)

Media release

Christmas comes early to New Plymouth’s city centre thanks to NPDC and Lions Club

New Plymouth’s central business district is hosting a cracker of a Christmas party on Saturday (1 December) and NPDC is providing the festive spirit with a car-free city centre to celebrate.

Much of the central business district will be closed to traffic in the morning, so leave the car at home, take a special gold coin bus ride into town and catch the city centre at its swinging best.

“We’re going car-free to encourage people to come down and grab a coffee and something to eat and get some Christmas shopping done. We want a thriving central business district with tills ringing while the choir is singing,” says NPDC External Relations Manager Jacqueline Baker.

“NPDC has a strong focus on continuing to create a thriving central city. With no parking or traffic hassles, there’s no better way to appreciate everything our central business district has to offer; from watching live entertainment to enjoying gourmet delights from one of our legendary cafes.”

NPDC’s See It In The City team is organising the entertainment from 9am until the annual Lions Club Christmas Parade which starts at midday. The entertainment will include live performances by the Taranaki Ukulele Orchestra and the Taranaki Harmony Choir as well as roving performers, talented soloists and a DJ.

One of the highlights of this year’s Christmas Parade will be the carbon-neutral ‘arty’ walking float from NPDC’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. The entry includes art created by kids and inspired by Len Lye’s work.

Taranaki Toy Library will provide some fun for the littlies, while basketball, Zumba, dance, face-painting and a Santa sprint race will be open to the bigger kids.

Santa’s cavalcade will take a new circuit route this year, starting at the Clock Tower and moving eastward along Devon Street, turning left down Liardet Street and heading back down Gill Street/Ariki Street to return to the start.
The pedestrian zone on Devon Street will run from Liardet Street to Egmont Street from 8am to 11am and from Liardet Street to Dawson Street from 11am to 2pm.

Other road closures include Ariki Street and part of Gill Street, Currie Street and parts of Liardet, Egmont, Queen, King and Robe streets.

Buses to the city centre will be running all day and will be just a gold coin donation while under-fives will be free.

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