Te Puke
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NEWS
A parade for the ages! Steampunk came to town with Santa last Saturday for the 2025 Seeka Te Puke Christmas Float Parade. With about 40 floats entered and a colossal effort from those taking part, the community was treated to a massive spectacle of festive cheer, with the
Steampunk theme embraced by many. Organiser Sally Benning, of Epic Te Puke, said people were blown away by the response to the theme. “If we’re honest, I think we were too. The theme had been carried through carious events during the year, culminating in the parade.
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“We really didn’t anticipate that so many people would have taken it on board, and not only did they take it on board, but the lengths they went to,” she said. However, the jolly red man kept it traditional – opting to ride his sleigh with a very special youngster. Te Puke four-year-
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old Blayde Arnold – who was born with Emanuel syndrome, an extremely rare chromosomal disorder – rode shotgun and his dad Scott. To find out which group won the supreme theme title for their float, turn to page 4. Photo / Stuart Whitaker.