Carrick Hill

I awoke this morning to a Norwood gaily decked out in Christmas cheer and festivity as Pageant Day dawned.

Adelaide Highland Band

As Scottish bagpipe music floated into our windows, we came out and enjoyed the colourful scene.

A village atmosphere was in the air as everyone recognized and cheered on friends and famiy in the pageant floats of local schools, community clubs and village shops.

I waved and smiled at a couple of friends, Wendy and Mei, in the Falun Gong float dressed in spectacular Chinese costumes.

The kids recognized kids they knew in the Rose Park Primary float and their former school Pembroke. All around us, people were waving and smiling and greetings of Merry Christmas filled the air. Traditionally, the Pageant Princess float preceded Santa’s float, and in it were seated four beautiful, regal little Princesses all in row.

A big cheer erupted amongst the crowd with the biggest and grandest of all the floats, the Father Christmas float with a very merry Santa seated on top. In all that gear he must be very thankful we have a very mild and cool Summer day today.

Our pageant is nowhere as grand as the Credit Union Christmas Pageant in the city. Our floats are modest buggies, utes and trucks dressed up by Mums and Dads and the kids chipping in.

But we do not have to brave thick crowds 5 heads deep for just a glimpse and peep at majestically fitted out floats. We do not have to wake at dawn to stake out a precious spot and wait under the sun for hours for the pageant to begin.

What we have is our very own home grown pageant, a magnificent show made possible with home made efforts from our own people. It is that personal touch that adds to the family village feel that even the grandeur of the city pageant cannot emulate.