2026 Upper Hutt Santa Parade: "A Fairytale Christmas"

Registrations for parade or float entries in the 2026 Santa Parade are now closed.

2026 theme: A Fairytale Christmas

Want to explore this year’s Santa Parade theme or find out what’s involved in creating a parade entry?

This year's theme is A Fairytale Christmas.

From enchanted castles and magical forests to classic fairytale characters and festive fantasy worlds, there’s plenty of inspiration to explore. Ideas include classic fairytales such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, Snow White and Peter Pan.

Whether spectacular or whimsical, a parade entry can bring a favourite fairytale to life.

While entries are no longer being accepted, the theme and Rules and Regulations for Santa Parade Entries remain available for anyone who would like to learn more about this year's parade.

Download Rules and Regulations for Santa Parade Entries(PDF, 186KB)

Date: Sunday, 6 December 2026
Parade route: Main Street, Upper Hutt (from the top of King Street to the top of Royal Street)
Parade start time: 3 pm

We recommend arriving early to find your viewing spot, settle in and soak up the atmosphere before the parade begins.

Keep an eye on this page for the latest event updates.

The parade will travel through the Main Street of Upper Hutt, bringing colourful floats, performers and Christmas characters to the streets.

For the best experience, choose a viewing location along the Main Street and arrive early. Please follow the instructions of event staff, traffic management teams and emergency services on the day.

Parade route as below:

Temporary road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place to allow the Santa Parade to take place safely. The following roads will be affected:

• Part of Kowhai Street
• King Street
• Main Street, between the King Street roundabout and Royal Street
• Royal Street, up to before the entrance of Pak n Save carpark

Parking on these streets will be affected from mid-day onwards. Some roads may close before the parade begins and remain closed until the parade has safely cleared the area and the cleaning crew has completed their clean up.

Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time and follow all temporary traffic signs and directions from traffic management staff.

Emergency services access will be maintained at all times. That include access to the Maidstone Veterinary Clinic.

Parking will be available in and around the town centre, although spaces are expected to be in high demand. 

Below is a parking map of Upper Hutt.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, park a short distance away and walk to Main Street. Please follow directions from event volunteers and traffic management staff.

Parking advisory

Due to the road closures required for the event setup, vehicles parked within the affected area will not be able to access the road network during the closure period.

To avoid disruption, we strongly encourage all businesses, staff, and visitors to avoid on-street parking in the affected areas from:

12pm - 6pm, Sunday 6 December

Where possible, consider walking, cycling or using public transport to get to the parade.

Please park responsibly and make sure driveways, intersections, emergency access routes and accessible parking spaces remain clear.

The Santa Parade is a community event and we want everyone to be able to enjoy the day.

If you are travelling by public transport to Upper Hutt City Centre, please note that Main Street will be closed to vehicles during the parade. Buses will therefore drop passengers off at Upper Hutt Train Station. From there, you can walk to the parade viewing areas in the city centre.

If you are driving to the parade, accessible parking spaces are available at selected car parks. Please refer to the Parking Information map for locations of accessible parking.

Please plan your journey ahead of time and allow extra time to get to your preferred viewing location.

Accessible toilets are available at the Upper Hutt Central Library.

The magic doesn’t stop when the last float reaches the finish line.

Following the parade, we’ll celebrate the creativity and effort that goes into making the event such a special part of Christmas in Upper Hutt.

Prizes for parade entries

There are three prizes up for grabs:

$1,000 Fairytale Christmas Award

Awarded by Upper Hutt City Council to the float or parade entry that best brings this year's theme "A Fairytale Christmas" to life.

$250 People’s Choice Award

You decide! Following the parade, the public can vote for their favourite float on the Upper Hutt City Council Facebook page.

$250 Business Christmas Spirit Award

Awarded by Upper Hutt City Council to the business parade entry that best captures the Christmas spirit.

So bring your creativity, bring your Christmas spirit and bring your fairytale to life. There could be a prize waiting at the end of the parade.