Santa Parade for Sophie

Canterbury's Paralympic star Sophie Pascoe will ride in a clydesdale-drawn wagon as the special guest at the Santa Parade in just over a week.

And it's not the first time the gold medal-winning swimmer has appeared in the annual event.

Pascoe made her parade debut four years ago, before her success at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, where she won three gold medals and a silver.

At this year's London Paralympics, Pascoe won three golds and three silvers.

More than 115,000 people are expected to line Riccarton Rd on Sunday, December 2, to watch the event which begins at 2pm.

It is the 65th anniversary of the annual Santa Parade and the 22nd year it has been called the Christchurch Children's Christmas Parade.

The New Zealand Army Band will play alongside other musicians, spectacular floats, dancing girls, celebrities, and clowns.

There will also be popular television characters such as Fireman Sam and Fifi from the Flower Tots who are jetting in from Australia, Cheer Bear and Pokemon favourite Pikachu.

City councillor Barry Corbett will be back for his 31st year as event MC.

Also parading will be representatives of emergency services who provided assistance immediately after the February 2011 earthquake.

This will be a another chance for the people of Christchurch to show their appreciation, said parade manager Pam Morris.

Getting the floats from where they are stored at Wainoni to Riccarton was a challenge because of road works.

Mrs Morris is asking motorists and road users to be considerate of the floats travelling in convoy to the parade.