The countdown is on to Mount Gambier’s COVID-Safe Christmas drive through display.
Mount Gambier City Council and a group of dedicated volunteers have been hard at work preparing 13 floats for the 2020 NF McDonnell and Sons Santa’s Boulevard.
The modified event will be held at Blue Lake Sports Park on November 21 and 22 and replaces the annual Christmas Parade to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
“Usually more than 2000 people participate in the parade and there are about 16,000 people in the crowd, so it just was not viable in its original format given the social-distancing requirements in 2020,” council Community Events Team Leader Denise Richardson said.
“It has been a tough year for many and Santa wanted to come and visit the children of Mount Gambier, so we had to think a little differently about how we could make that happen.”
The drive-through static display of floats will mark the start of the festive season and feature music, lights and decorations in the trees. “OneFortyOne will supply pine trees which will be placed along the median strip on the boulevard.
Students from 19 different schools will decorate and string lights from the trees,” Mrs Richardson said. “We will also work with local businesses It’s a Celebration and Steve Mullan Lighting and Sound to create a magical atmosphere.
“This has never been done before, but we are hoping to capture and display the spirit of Christmas for our entire community.”
Santa’s Boulevard will include 15 floats: The Nutcracker, Teddy Bears Picnic, Mayor’s Christmas Appeal Star, Timmy the Express Train, Christmas Stocking, Pirates Rrr Us, Hansel and Gretel, Bill the Steam Shovel, T’was the Night before Xmas, Timber Toy Town, Parade Queen float, Christmas Tree, Father Christmas supplied by Rotary Club of Mount Gambier West and Humpty Dumpty supplied by Lakes Rotary Club.
“Rotary Club of Mount Gambier West oversees Santa’s float which has had a revamp this year with the addition of new Christmas trees, wreaths, a garland and lights. Santa is looking forward to waving to the children as they drive by,” Mrs Richardson said.
“A new float will join the line-up on the boulevard titled The Enchanted Castle. Volunteers have been working since July to transform the old Toy Town float into a castle fit for a princess.”
Parade volunteer Helen Telford said the group had spent more than 128 hours giving the float a pretty revamp, including many fairy lights.
Fellow volunteer Tom Telford said he had enjoyed working to get the floats ready.
“It is so rewarding to see the children enjoy our efforts and we like to come together with the other volunteers to help out,” he said.
Mrs Richardson said council was grateful for the ongoing support of its band of dedicated volunteers.
“A huge thank you must be given to our wonderful volunteers Helen and Tom Telford, Greg Muller, Alan Richardson and Mike Scutter who have been visiting the parade shed at the council depot every Tuesday morning to work tirelessly on the floats.
The event would not be possible without their hard work,” she said.
“The Christmas Parade Advisory Group volunteers will also work throughout the weekend of the event and have been allocated specific roles to help make the event run smoothly and safely.
“Our community is asked to stay in their cars, dim their lights to parking and follow the line of traffic through the Blue Lake Sports Park off Dohle Road entry to drive through and look at the display and then exit out on to Jubilee Highway East.”
Santa’s Boulevard will be run from 7pm until 10pm on the Saturday and Sunday.
