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| Looking Back on Ten Wonderful Years of Santa Parades in Warkworth As we head into the final couple of weeks before the Christmas holidays, my last big event for the year is the Warkworth Santa Parade on the 13th of December, followed by our annual drive around Warkworth and Snells Beach with Santa and Mrs Claus on the 15th and 17th. Because this will be my last Santa Parade, I have been reflecting on some of the highlights and the occasional hiccup from the past ten years. I had only been in this role for a month when I was asked to take over organising the parade, just six weeks before it was due to happen. There was plenty of panic and a few sleepless nights, as I had never organised a parade before. Fortunately, Lance O’Callaghan from Mason Contractors kindly offered one of his staff to help out a few hours each week, and together with Charlene Heyns, we managed to pull it off. I still remember standing in the street with Charlene, deep in discussion, when a local retailer shouted, “Why don’t you fix the bloody parking rather than stand around?” It was quite an introduction for her. In those early days, we assembled the floats in Alnwick Street, but that caused some frustration for those trying to get to the supermarket, so we later shifted to Baxter Street, which has worked much better. Back then, we were thrilled if we had eighteen floats. These days, we are not satisfied unless we have at least thirty, and last year we had forty floats which nearly brought the town to a standstill. The parade has been made possible by a small but dedicated group of volunteers who start planning from April each year. My heartfelt thanks go to Claire Blair, Tania Hamilton, Ayla Walker, Leanne Rynne, and Ines Roberts, along with the many others who turn up on the day to help with road marshalling and logistics. It has been a privilege to work alongside such passionate people who give so much to this event and to our community. There is nothing quite like seeing the excitement on the faces of children as Santa and Mrs Claus pass by, their eyes wide with joy as they call out, “We love you, Santa.” Those moments have made every bit of effort worthwhile. We have been very fortunate over the years to have the support of wonderful sponsors, and this year’s parade is proudly supported by Warkworth Toyota and Barfoot and Thompson, with additional funding from the Rodney Local Board. I will be watching this Saturday’s parade with a mixture of pride and sadness, but I am sure you will still see me helping out in years to come. I encourage everyone to get involved, whether by entering a float, volunteering, or simply coming along with the family to enjoy the day. It truly is one of the most special days on Warkworth’s calendar. Before signing off this final newsletter for 2025, I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year from myself, Lauren, our marketing and comms manager, Alison, who manages the Information Centre and its wonderful volunteers, and from our Chair, Dave Stott, and the entire One Mahurangi committee. We look forward to seeing you all back refreshed, energised, and ready for an exciting 2026. |
| — Murray Chapman Manager, One Mahurangi, Warkworth Business Association murray@onemahurangi.co.nz | 0274 966 550  “Murray Christmas” |
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