New Zealand’s 2026 Christmas parade season starts on Saturday 28 November in Rotorua and New Plymouth. Auckland, Nelson and Pāpāmoa follow on Sunday 29 November, and the busiest day is Sunday 6 December, when Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton and Palmerston North all hold their parades on the same afternoon.
Most lists that turn up for “christmas parade nz” still show last year’s dates. This guide uses the 2026 dates the organisers have published so far. Where a city has not confirmed 2026 yet, it says so and gives the 2025 date as a guide only. Times and routes can change, so check the organiser’s page on the morning of the parade.
When are the Christmas parades in NZ in 2026?
Nine city parades have confirmed 2026 dates as of 1 November 2026. They run from Saturday 28 November (Rotorua, New Plymouth) to Sunday 6 December (Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North). Invercargill, Napier, Whanganui, Whangārei and Cambridge had not published 2026 dates yet.
| City | Parade | 2026 date | Start time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotorua | Rotorua Christmas Parade | Sat 28 Nov | 11am |
| New Plymouth | Lions Community Christmas Parade | Sat 28 Nov | 1pm |
| Auckland | Farmers Santa Parade | Sun 29 Nov | 1pm |
| Tauranga (Pāpāmoa) | Pāpāmoa Santa Parade | Sun 29 Nov | 10am |
| Nelson | NBS Nelson Santa Parade | Sun 29 Nov | Time not yet published |
| Christchurch | Christmas Show Parade (Santa Parade) | Sun 6 Dec | 2pm |
| Dunedin | Dunedin Santa Parade | Sun 6 Dec | 3pm |
| Hamilton | First Credit Union Christmas Parade | Sun 6 Dec | 2pm |
| Palmerston North | A Very Palmy Christmas parade | Sun 6 Dec | 2pm |
| Wellington | No full parade (Christmas in the Quarters event) | Sat 12 Dec | 11am–5pm |
Auckland’s parade has its own guide, with the CBD route and road closures: see our Farmers Santa Parade Auckland page. Families planning a full December can also pair a parade with Christmas in the Park in Auckland or Christchurch.
When is the Christchurch Santa Parade 2026?
The Christchurch parade is on Sunday 6 December 2026 at 2pm at Canterbury Agricultural Park (the Showgrounds). This year it is part of a two-day Christmas Show Parade festival on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, open from 11am to 4.30pm both days. Entry is free.
The parade itself is on the Sunday at 2pm inside the Showgrounds. Sunday parking is through the Hayton Road entrance. A free Santa Express bus run by Bentley Coachlines leaves from The Hub Hornby, the Bus Interchange and Eastgate. The Christchurch City Libraries Christmas guide lists the parade as the “Christchurch Santa Parade at 2pm Sunday 6 December”.
When is the Dunedin Santa Parade 2026?
The Dunedin Santa Parade is on Sunday 6 December 2026 at 3pm. It starts at the Regent Night ‘n Day on George Street, heads down George Street, crosses the Octagon and finishes in Moray Place South by First Church. The Dunedin Santa Parade Trust has run it since 1998.
One thing to know before you go: the Dunedin Santa Parade Trust says there is no rescheduled date if bad weather cancels the parade.
When is the Hamilton Christmas Parade 2026?
Hamilton’s First Credit Union Christmas Parade is on Sunday 6 December 2026 at 2pm, travelling down Anglesea Street. It is organised by the Hamilton Christmas Charitable Trust, set up in 2004. The Christmas tree lighting comes a week earlier, on Saturday 28 November in Garden Place.
Last year’s parade was on Sunday 7 December 2025, also at 2pm. Nearby Cambridge holds its own Christmas parade. The Lions Club of Cambridge took responsibility for it after the town’s i-SITE closed, and in 2025 it ran on Sunday 7 December. Its 2026 date was not out yet as of 1 November.
When is the Nelson Santa Parade 2026?
The NBS Nelson Santa Parade is on Sunday 29 November 2026, according to the Nelson Santa Parade Trust. The start time had not been published as of 1 November 2026. In 2025 the parade began at 1pm at Montgomery Square and moved along Hardy and Trafalgar Streets and Hathaway Terrace to finish at the Trafalgar Park carpark.
Rotorua, New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Tauranga parade times
Rotorua and New Plymouth parade on Saturday 28 November 2026, Pāpāmoa in Tauranga on Sunday 29 November, and Palmerston North on Sunday 6 December. Pāpāmoa starts earliest in the day at 10am, and Rotorua follows at 11am in Government Gardens.
- Rotorua: Saturday 28 November, 11am, Government Gardens. The parade’s official site lists this as the 2026 date.
- New Plymouth: Saturday 28 November, 1pm to 3pm, starting at the Clock Tower on Devon Street and running through the CBD.
- Tauranga: the Pāpāmoa Santa Parade is on Dickson Road, Pāpāmoa, Sunday 29 November, 10am to 12pm. The theme will be announced closer to the day.
- Palmerston North: Sunday 6 December, 2pm to 3pm in the city centre, run by the Kairanga Lions Club as part of the city council’s A Very Palmy Christmas. A concert follows from 3.30pm to 7.30pm, and the tree lighting is on Saturday 5 December.
Is there a Christmas parade in Wellington?
Not a full one. Wellington City Council said in 2023 that there is no full Christmas parade any more, and that year Santa arrived in a small walking parade at its Christmas in the Quarters day. The 2026 Christmas in the Quarters is a free event at Waitangi Park on Saturday 12 December, 11am to 5pm, and the council’s page does not mention a parade.
Which Christmas parades have not announced 2026 dates yet?
As of 1 November 2026, Invercargill, Napier, Whanganui, Whangārei and Cambridge had not confirmed 2026 dates. Last year’s dates below show roughly when to expect them. We will add the 2026 details to this page once the organisers publish them.
| City | Parade | 2025 date and time |
|---|---|---|
| Invercargill | Southland Santa Parade | Sat 29 Nov 2025, 1pm (traditionally the last Saturday of November) |
| Napier | Harcourts Christmas Parade | Sun 7 Dec 2025, 1pm from Clive Square East |
| Whanganui | Mainstreet Whanganui Christmas Parade | Sun 7 Dec 2025, 2pm, Majestic Square |
| Whangārei | Santa Parade | Sat 29 Nov 2025, 11am from Hunt St and Bank St |
| Cambridge | Cambridge Christmas Parade | Sun 7 Dec 2025, afternoon |
In Taupō, the Santa Parade looked set to be dropped after the Easterfest NZ Trust, which had run it, stepped back and a major sponsor withdrew. Local events company SB Events has since taken it on, and the Taupō & Tūrangi News reported it is planned for 5 December.
Frequently asked questions
What time is the Christchurch Santa Parade?
The parade starts at 2pm on Sunday 6 December 2026 at Canterbury Agricultural Park. The wider festival runs from 11am to 4.30pm on both 5 and 6 December.
What is the Dunedin Santa Parade route?
It starts at the Regent Night ‘n Day on George Street, goes down George Street, through the Octagon, and ends in Moray Place South near First Church.
Do you need tickets for a Christmas parade?
None of the organisers listed here sell tickets for watching from the roadside. Christchurch’s Showgrounds festival says entry is free, and Wellington’s Christmas in the Quarters is a free event.
When is the Santa parade in Invercargill in 2026?
The Southland Santa Parade had not announced its 2026 date as of 1 November 2026. It has traditionally been held on the last Saturday of November, which in 2025 was 29 November at 1pm.
Where is the Christmas parade near me?
Use the first table on this page to find your city’s date and start time. Many smaller towns and Auckland suburbs hold their own parades too, usually on weekends between late November and mid-December.
