Hastings Blossom Parade 2024

The theme for this year's Blossom Parade is... 'Regeneration: Spring Back Hastings!'

The Hastings Blossom Parade brings the community together to celebrate the arrival of Spring and renews a sense of pride in our region. With a Parade start time of 1:00pm (other Blossom Fest 2024 activities are happening in town from 10:00am - 3:00pm), we hope to allow all those with Saturday morning sports (or chores) the chance to get into town, enjoy the elevated vibe and free entertainment, see all the incredible effort our Parade participants put into their entries, and join the festivities!

This is a wonderful free event that allows anyone from our community to get involved and help us to show off the best of Hawke’s Bay. As an individual or a community, a business big or small, a school or kindergarten, church, or cultural group, you are all invited to participate and celebrate. The theme for this year (as mentioned above) is 'Regeneration: Spring Back Hastings!'.

This theme provides the opportunity for you to interpret it in many ways. We have an abundance of artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs that design, make and build in the Bay. Our schools are full of talented young people. Our community groups and leaders make such a positive impact in our lives. The Blossom Parade is a celebration of our people and their amazing ideas, actions and achievements.

If you have any questions around entry, please contact event organiser Lyn Mackie at Arts Inc. Heretaunga via lyn@artsinc.co.nz. Hastings Blossom Parade is proudly delivered by Arts Inc. Heretaunga, and funded by Hastings District Council.

How to be part of the 2024 Blossom Parade Spectacular? To confirm your interest and/or participation please fill in an entry form (this can be found via our website link above). Alternatively email Lyn Mackie at Arts Inc. Heretaunga for any additional information.

How can I participate?
The Parade will once again be highly colourful, exciting and full of fun for the public who line the streets to watch this iconic event. There are a number of ways that you can be part of the parade.

This includes:
- Build a float as a business or community organisation
- Decorate a car, motorbike, bicycle or pram to promote your organisation
- Be part of a performance/dance group
- Encourage your school or sports team or social club to participate
- Form a New Orleans style marching band or Brazilian Samba band
- Dress up with your friends and join the parade in your best blossom themed outfit
- Sponsor an entry

What Categories are there?
- Best Float
- Best Performance
- Best use of Blossom
- Most Unusual
- People's Choice

What prizes are on offer?
There will be a few categories you can choose from and a $1,500 cash prize will be offered to entries that win an award, plus $500 prize for runners up in each category: The Hits people's choice award will also be on offer with a top prize of $2,000 (please note that voting will be limited to one vote per phone).

NB: To vote for the People's Choice award on the day, please text "BLOSSOM [and the number of the entry]" to 4487 at the time - so for example; text "BLOSSOM 29" to 4487 to vote for entry number 29, or "BLOSSOM 3" to 4487 to vote for entry number 3, etc. (Texts cost .20c to send - a small price to pay to make sure your favourite is in to win!