Christmas and New Year celebrations starting next week will be held at the Friendship Park with a Santa Claus parade among the new attractions for local residents.

Details of the festive season and new year program were unveiled at a joint press conference by the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) Principal Culture Liaison Officer Fanaea Natu, Deputy Police Commissioner, Papali’i Monalisa Tiai-Keti and Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) Commissioner, Tanuvasa Petone Mauga on Thursday. The three officials are part of the Government's Christmas and New Year's Committee.

The Santa Claus parade will start from the Vaisigano bridge and conclude at the Friendship Park at the back of Government Building, which will also be the venue for the official speeches, as the countdown to the New Year commences to culminate with a fireworks display on the stroke of midnight.

Deputy Police Commissioner, Papali’i Monalisa Tiai-Keti, gave reporters a brief on the Police’s preparations for the festive season and indicated that they will be on patrol in Apia and will watch out for drunk driving, drinking in public areas as well as any illegal activity in public areas.

She also urged members of the public to be cautious and to be aware of prohibited areas as well as be mindful of their actions in public.

Tanuvasa also expressed similar sentiments and added they will be on standby to respond to any emergencies during the festive season celebrations, and he appealed to the public to exercise safety while out and about.

Speaking on behalf of the STA at the press conference, Mr. Natu said the Santa Claus parade will start next Wednesday 21 December 2022 and everyone is invited to usher in and enjoy the Christmas spirit.

Entertainment on 22 December 2022 and 23 December 2022 will include choir singing and various other entertainment in the lead-up to the fireworks on New Year. There will be two separate fireworks displays for the first time, one in Apia and the other in Salelologa, Savai’i which will be synchronised by the Kiwi pyrotechnic experts and fired simultaneously from both islands at the stroke of midnight.

The fireworks show in Savai’i will be a first for the big island with the STA official at the press conference saying that it is part of the country’s 60th Independence anniversary celebration.

The fireworks show will be done on the Fotu o Samoa ship which will be anchored in Apia's harbour, unlike last year when they were fired from Palisi on Mt Vaea, leading to criticisms by the local residents.