The Bay of Plenty does Christmas lights better than almost anywhere. Both Tauranga and Rotorua run organised lights trails with printed maps and public voting, and in 2025 more than 80 homes and businesses took part between them. Add beach-side carols and a parade in nearly every town, and December fills up fast.
Tauranga and Western Bay Christmas Lights Trail
Homes across Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa and the Western Bay sign up each year for the lights trail run with the Bay of Plenty Times. In 2025 it ran from late November to 22 December, with lights on nightly until at least 9pm. The addresses and map are published by the newspaper and its radio partner at the end of November.
Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail
Rotorua's trail is run by EVES, with properties from Ngongotahā to Ōwhata. Lights are on nightly until about 9.30pm, and you can vote for your favourite house.
- Pick up a printed map from the EVES office at 1172 Haupapa Street, or download one.
- Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail map
Christmas in the Park, Mount Maunganui
Tauranga's Christmas in the Park is held at Soper Reserve in Mount Maunganui on a Saturday in early December: carols, local performers and a picnic on the grass, a short walk from the beach.
Santa parades
In 2025 the region's parades ran over two weekends:
- Rotorua Christmas Parade, in late November.
- Te Puke Christmas Float Parade, on Jellicoe Street.
- Katikati Lions Santa Parade and Christmas in the Park, at Moore Park.
- Pāpāmoa Santa Parade, along Dickson Road, on the first Sunday of December.
All are free. The Bay of Plenty Times publishes each year's dates in its Christmas events guide.
Tauranga city centre
The council and Downtown Tauranga run Christmas in the city centre through December. Past years have included a Santa's grotto, a free reindeer trail for children to follow around the shops, a Christmas concert and an outdoor film.
Rotorua extras
- A Christmas night market at Kuirau Park.
- "Seen Christmas Trees", a display of decorated trees.
- A Christmas Day community lunch at the Energy Events Centre, free and open to anyone who would otherwise be alone.
A beach Christmas
This is the place for a swim on Christmas morning. Mount Maunganui's Main Beach and Pāpāmoa are patrolled in summer. Swim between the flags, and walk up Mauao before breakfast if you want to earn the pavlova.
See what other cities have planned in our national guide to Christmas events, and plan your evening with our Christmas lights night tips.
Bring Santa home afterwards
Parades and lights are for crowds. The moment children remember is the one that is only for them. Santa can ring your phone, ask for your child by name and ask what they would like for Christmas. You choose the day and the minute, so it can ring as you get home from the parade or the lights.