The Best Family-Friendly Christmas Events in Tauranga 2018

It’s that time of the year where we celebrate the merry festive season! From Santa parades, Christmas carols and Christmas parties, here is our pick of the best free family-friendly Christmas events in Tauranga 2018.

2018 Trustpower Christmas Parade

The Trustpower Christmas Parade heralds the start of the Christmas season, featuring colourful community floats, lively bands, marching teams, acrobatic groups and colourful characters. Santa will be there and has invited many of his friends along too. He has chosen two of his most trusted reindeer to help him and he has asked that the elves get his presents ready early for the occasion, so watch out for him at the end of the parade.
When: Saturday 1 December 2018, 11am – 3pm
Where: Downtown Tauranga
Cost: Free
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Christmas Carols on the Waterfront

The annual Carols on the Waterfront event returns this year to the city centre. Everyone is welcome at this free family friendly event where we will celebrate the festive season, singing everyone’s favourite Christmas Carols! Bring your picnic blanket, dress up if you like, enjoy the start of summer and celebrate Christmas with friends and family.
When: Sunday 9 December 2018, 5.30 – 7pm
Where: The Strand, Downtown Tauranga
Cost: Free
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Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park

Tauranga’s Christmas in the Park is Tauranga’s annual, community focused, Christmas fundraising event! Happening for this year only at Our Place Tauranga. A great opportunity for the community to come together before Christmas and enjoy a full day of entertainment. Help celebrate the festive season and encourage community spirit by ‘giving back’ whilst also being able to support local charities and community group’s who are working with families and children. For a gold coin entry you’ll get to enjoy a pre-Christmas event filled with live music, performances, arts, craft and artisan food/drink and of course, Santa’s Grotto.
When: Saturday 8 December 2018, 1-8pm
Where: Our Place Tauranga, 91 Willow Street, Tauranga
Cost: Gold coin donation
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Seeka Te Puke Christmas Float Parade

The Seeka Te Puke Parade is a well-established event, well supported by the community far and wide. The parade theme this year is ‘celebrating local sports stars’ and will circle the town twice. Floats are in the chance for a combined top prize of $1,000 EPIC Te Puke Dollars.
When: Saturday, 15 December 2018, 11am – 1pm
Where: Epic Te Puke, 130a Jellicoe Street, Te Puke
Cost: Free
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Papamoa Christmas Carnival

Papamoa Unlimited is excited to announce its first ever Christmas Carnival. This free event is complete with amusement rides, entertainers, face painters, plus loads more exiting activities (including a guest appearance from the big man himself!). Papamoa Unlimited will bring the festive season to life by creating a fun carnival atmosphere to entertain all ages and allow the community to celebrate the season together.
When: Sunday 16 December 2018, 3.30-6pm
Where: Papamoa Plaza, Opposite Ocean Blue Fitness, 7 Gravatt Road, Papamoa
Cost: Free
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A Night Before Christmas 2018

The Bay’s biggest FREE Christmas party “A Night Before Christmas” returns in 2018 to celebrate 22 years of Christmas joy in our very own Bethlehem. Over 13,000 people will come together to enjoy a festive variety of live music, dance, carols, and a massive fireworks display as this year’s event looks set to be another stunner – and as always, totally FREE! Bring a picnic dinner, grab a bite from our amazing food trucks, take a photo at our photo booth, or maybe a selfie with one of our roving Christmas characters, and enjoy the picturesque grounds of the Bethlehem College Sports Fields.
When: Saturday 22 December 2018, 5 – 10pm
Where: Bethlehem College, 24 Elder Lane, Bethlehem
Cost: Free
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