Behind the Scenes of Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park

For more than two decades, John Searle has been the man on the ground behind some great Kiwi Christmas memories – Santa abseiling into the Auckland Domain, and potato flakes raining on the people of Christchurch.

Searle, who has been the event producer of "one of the happiest night on New Zealand's calendar" Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park – never loses his enthusiasm for leading the production of the country's largest free public event.

For Searle, it's the family element that keeps him passionate.

Around 500 people are involved behind the scenes to make the festive musical spectacular.

Around 500 people are involved behind the scenes with the festive musical spectacular – many of them consistent in its success over 23 years. Television and radio host Simon Barnett has been the show's Master of Ceremonies for 20 years; Annette Chillingworth, Head of Marketing Activation for Coca-Cola, has played a key role in the massive production since it began in 1994.

"There's an enormous amount of work, good will and great people who put this show together. Most of us have been involved since the very beginning, and that's what makes it so special," Chillingworth says. "It's about the whanau, the family behind it."

Also involved since the start, Searle has been the event producer for the last two decades. "Sometimes things get hard – with rain and wind – not everything works out perfectly," he says. "But when you get people coming up to you saying 'I thought that was cool', it's a really good feeling. Not everyone gets that in a job. It's about the families, and the happiness it provides."

John Searle, middle, says the family element of Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park is what keeps him passionate about the job.

Each year, the planning for the next show begins as the last one wraps up. "From day one, we start with ideas," Searle explains. "We're working directly with Coca-Cola, working on budgets and starting to look at all of the teams, from artistic to lighting and sound," Searle says.

And with each extravaganza, the technology and complexity of the production intensifies. Some of Searle's favourite memories are of abseiling Santa down from the Auckland Hospital roof, and a helicopter with a monsoon bucket dropping potato flakes over Christchurch's Hagley Park. "People thought it was snowing," he laughs.

"My crew is made up of really professional people in the industry. The atmosphere we create is one of family. This is the family of Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park and we enjoy getting together."

Barnett says it's the "family effect" that keeps him returning to the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park stage.

"There's a sense of commonality," the MC says. "Everybody loves this time of year, everybody's in a great frame of mind, I just think it's beautiful."

"Without Coca-Cola, the show couldn't happen," Searle explains. "Not only do they fund this event, Coca-Cola are providing management, expertise that I require to put a show like this together. The public of New Zealand have been getting the benefit of this for all these years. It's just a fantastic gift."

Chillingworth says the show is Coca-Cola's "gift to the people of New Zealand".

"It's a free community event – it's a happy, uplifting, fun night. Whether you're 5 or 75 there's something for everyone," she says. "Generations of Kiwis have grown up with this show."

The Auckland Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park will be held in the Auckland Domain on Saturday, December 10, at 7.30pm and will be shown on TVNZ 2 on December 18 at 6pm.