New Zealand's festive season
In New Zealand, Christmas is combined with summer holidays, so as well as present-buying and parties, families are preparing for trips to the beach. In the coastal regions of the North Island, pohutakawa trees flower from November to January with a brilliant red crimson flower covering the canopy, hence their nickname the New Zealand Christmas tree. In the cities, Santa parades take place nationwide and music festivals are held in many places.
In Auckland, the Santa Parade has brought joy to children for 74 years. Traditionally the parade attracts well over 250,000 people as it kick-starts the Christmas season with a mix of fantasy, excitement, magic and laughter.
For the start into the New Year there are many things to do all over New Zealand. Get up early and sit on a beach on January 1, 2008 and be in the first country in the world to welcome the new dawn of a new year, or sip a little chardonnay whilst sampling fresh fish and chips on the beach.
Rhythm & Vines in Gisborne is the ultimate New Year's music festival, set in the vineyard of Waiohika Estate, in the first city in the world to see the sun. This year Rhythm & Vines is celebrating its fifth anniversary, with four stages, over 30 acts, spectacular pyrotechnics, and even a 50 metre waterslide.
New Zealand’s capital Wellington welcomes the New Year with the Rhythm and Beats celebration in Civic Square. The 2007 concert will see over 8,000 people dancing and grooving with some of the Wellington’s most vibrant bands, dance groups and visual artists. Rhythm and Beats is an open event - free to the public and family friendly.
Queenstown is the main party spot in the South Island and is the home to all ages and types of partygoers. The town centre is closed off and bands are set up around the town to offer something for everyone.
Few festivals in New Zealand are as popular and well supported as the annual Nelson Jazz Festival at the beginning of January. The reasons are simple - loads of sunshine, world class musicians and free of charge for everybody to attend. Now in its 17th year, the festival attracts over 20,000 spectators to a mixture of public and commercial venues to enjoy the talents of entertainers and musicians from all over New Zealand. The festival has become an integral part of summertime in Nelson and has reached a level of popularity that makes it wise to book tickets early.
Mount Maunganui is one of New Zealand’s favourite holiday destinations over the Christmas and New Year Period. There are events throughout this period such as fun family events at the Mount Maunganui Beach on the 1st of January and the The More FM Pro Tour International Beach Volleyball.
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