**The 2025 Taupō Santa Parade. Photos: Dan Hutchinson**

The Taupō Santa Parade is back on thanks to the support of several local businesses.

By Dan Hutchinson

Easterfest NZ Trust announced last month that it was pulling out of being the main organiser for the event to focus on other charity work, leaving it in doubt.

SB Events managing director Shannelle Barrett is donating her time and company resources, free of charge, to put the event on.

The parade will take place on December 5.

Sponsorship from MBP Advisory and More FM and the input of Creative Taupō and former organiser Easterfest NZ Trust, means the event will go ahead in December, under the name ‘MBP Advisory Taupō Santa Parade presented by More FM’.

Shannelle says when she heard the event was not going ahead she couldn’t let that happen.

She has been involved with organising other major local events in the town, including the Supercars events in Taupō and Christchurch, and the Santa Parade is something she’s happy to support.

"It’s for love, absolutely - for the community. You know, it's our way to give something back. Like I said, we've been in this community all our lives and it's, you know, it's an annual event."

She has fond memories of the event as a child and scrambling for lollies on the ground with her brother.

She now has a six-year-old daughter and wants her to have the same memories along with the thousands of other children in Taupō that turn out for the parade each year.

“We have pledged to put all of our services to pull it together, which is no mean feat … and also we have pledged to underwrite it should we not get all the support that we need."

Chris says they have jumped on board because the event needs a major naming-rights sponsor to get the ball rolling and start the process of getting everybody else on board.

“Hopefully the business community can step up and come forward and help support the event. I think everybody wants it to go ahead."

Shannelle says businesses can donate money or services to help run the event.

“If there's some sort of services that they can assist us with, such as traffic management, that's a big one.”

She says they will need volunteers to help them corral the floats and those taking part in the parade.

“And obviously we need the floats. Floats is a big one. You can't have a parade without the floats."

Chris says it would also be great if local businesses came on board with prizes for the best floats, to encourage people to go the extra mile with their creations.

He says those businesses in the CBD could also run promotions and giveaways to give people a reason to stay in town longer after the parade.

There will also likely be an event at the Tongariro Domain after the parade.

People can head to www.taupochristmas.nz if they want to take part in the parade or help out in some way.