More Info →Floral Parade - Regent Motors VW Beetle Float

Description

The Floral Festival was a weeklong series of events organised by the Palmerston North Public Relations Organisation between the 17th and 22nd of February 1958. The events were well attended, and many businesses got into the spirit of the occasion with floral themed window displays, quizzes, fashion shows and film festival showings. The event was topped off by the parade, attended by hundreds of people along the route.

On February 24th, the Manawatu Evening Standard published a picture of this float with the caption: "Daintily Disguised Motor-car: One of the daintiest floats which took part in the floral procession was this entry which was submitted by Regent Motors. The basic shape was given by a motor-car. The entire body was smothered in pink and white artificial blossoms and on the roof rode a miniature passenger who was dressed to match her conveyance. This entry was awarded second place in the artificial blossom section."

After the festival, The Standard reported (25 February 1958) "Many people have congratulated Mr Beckett [Public Relations Officer] and his assistant Miss B. Norman, on the success of the Floral Festival which brought to the city visitors from over a wide area. With the influx of these visitors trade in the local retail stores automatically quickened in tempo, and it would appear that the festival did much for Palmerston North."

Identification

Object type

Image

Relation

2014-26

Date

February 22, 1958

Digitisation ID

2022S_2014-26_038772

Format

Slide