The upcoming coronation of King Charles III will be a first for a lot of people, says Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis.
“Many of us will have never seen it in our lifetime.”
The district will be marking the special occasion with a tree-planting ceremony in Fountain Square in Woodville on Saturday, starting at 10.30am.
Collis said that native trees had been specifically requested for the planting, part of a national event, He Rā Rākau Tītapu - King Charles III Coronation Plantings, where a number of councils around the country would be doing the same.
Each local authority had also been given a plaque to mark the occasion.
Dannevirke’s main street will also be decked out in red, white and blue, and all Government buildings will have flags flying at half-mast in the lead-up to the main event.
A high tea has also been planned for Saturday afternoon at the Anglican church hall in Woodville, and it was believed a beefeater - a ceremonial royal guard also called a yeoman warder - would be there on the day.
Those coming along to the high tea are encouraged to dress up, with prizes given to the best king and queen.
A local school is also celebrating the occasion, with students at Dannevirke South School encouraged to “come dressed as a royal” or wear red, white and blue on Friday.
Former district councillor and British ex-pat Shirley Hull said she would definitely be celebrating by going to a long lunch at a cafe in Woodville with some friends.
“We’ll all be dressed up in our blue sashes,” she said, adding they would also be wearing crowns.
She reflected a little on the waning popularity of the royals and hoped this would help change that.
“So many people loved the Queen, but it’s a good time to celebrate [the King].”
Collis said there would be a lot of people in the district tuning in to watch the ceremony taking place and reflecting.
“Watching it on TV will be huge.”
The coronation would also reflect a change in many things, such as elected members swearing allegiance to the King instead of the Queen, which Collis said could take a bit of getting used to.
“It’s always been Queen Elizabeth,” she said.