NT saves SA Christmas Pageant

Tourism NT has cast their Christmas cap into the ring to secure major naming rights of the Pageant after the recent loss of the iconic event’s naming rights sponsor.

Established in 1933, the annual Christmas Pageant is held every November and its absolute crowning glory is a parade of more than 60 floats, 15 bands, plus hundreds of clowns, dancers and walking performers through the streets of Adelaide.

With the pageant’s tinsel in a tangle, and its future in the balance with thousands upon thousands set to be disappointed, Tourism NT has swooped in to save the proverbial “Christmas” Day.

Tourism NT’s Deputy CEO and Chief Elf, Andrew Hopper and the Tourism NT Team said the decision to bid for naming rights was a no brainer.

“We do things BIG in the Territory,” Mr Hopper said.

“So, it makes absolute sense to take on the naming rights for one of the largest parades of its kind in the southern hemisphere and the only one that rivals New York’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in magnitude.”

In keeping with the theming of the newly named NT Christmas Pageant, Tourism NT has revealed that parade’s traditional horsey stars, Nimble and Nipper, will be replaced with camels, Katherine and Alice; all Xmas trees will be made out of double pluggers; and SA kids will be encouraged to leave a Darwin stubby out for Santa pre-parade time.

Mr Hopper said Tourism NT had a big reputation for innovative marketing campaigns and had jumped at the chance to rescue the pageant and, in doing so, make Christmas merrier than ever for their South Australian counterparts.

“Old tourism rivalries will be cast aside as we swoop in to save Christmas”, he said.

“After all South Australians and Northern Territorians have so much in common and we share more than just a state border. Both regions are fiercely family-oriented, love the silly season, and share both an outback heritage and a proud indigenous culture. We both have a great love of AFL and of course we are physically linked by one of the world’s greatest train journeys – The Ghan.”

Mr Hopper said that bringing joy to families is what Tourism NT did best by creating memorable family holidays, something they hoped to recreate when in Adelaide.

“When you visit the NT, you’ll think all your Christmases have come at once,” he said.

“The region just has so many iconic family drive and rail destinations, adventures and experiences - from breathtaking landscapes and scenery to World Heritage-listed National Parks like Kakadu and Uluru. In our backyard, you can explore world famous gorges and chasms, swim in waterholes or beneath waterfalls, have up-close wildlife encounters with all range of unique wildlife including jumping crocodiles.

"Families can enjoy an outback holiday in the Red Centre, a Darwin-based tropical getaway, or depending on your interests, they can immerse themselves in Aboriginal culture or learn about our military heritage and pioneer history.”

Mr Hopper said he and his team of helpers hoped this one small act on behalf of Tourism NT would continue to bring joy to families in SA during the silly season next year.

Work is already underway on establishing a new digital ho-ho-home for the event online with the Tourism NT marketing team expected to contact pageant organisers to discuss their proposal at length in the coming days.