People take part in the New Year’s Day Parade in London
(Picture: Yui Mok / PA)A procession of vibrant street dancers, international musicians, and a New Zealand school band will be passing through the streets of the West End, as London New Year’s Day Parade (NYDP) returns to its usual route.
And Scouting For Girls will be joining more than 1,000 cheerleaders and 24 marching bands from the USA, as well as local London entries, classic cars, stunt riders, and much more - including inflatables.
When is it?
Beginning at noon on Sunday, January 1, 2023, the parade starts outside the Ritz hotel in Picadilly, a short walk from Green Park underground station, before meandering through Regent’s Street, Pall Mall, and Whitehall, culminating at 3.30pm at Westminster Bridge.
The public can join the 8,000 street performers by booking one of its grandstand or VIP seats or you can watch the procession march the route, covering 2.2 miles past the National Gallery, Horse Guards’ Parade, and Downing Street. Ticket-holding visitors should arrive at 11am on the day. There are still a few tickets left but there’s limited availability.
What to expect?
The annual parade attracts entries from 32 of London’s boroughs to raise funds for charitable causes, but it is not limited to the city. Bands from across the pond will also be showcasing their talents, such as the country and western Lake Highlands Wildcat Wranglers dance and stunt team of 46 high school students from Dallas, Texas, all donning cowboy costumes. Chiming one word, ‘Texas’, it will bring its southern cultural experience to the parade’s 37th chapter.
And a Kiwi band - The Mighty Wolverine Sound marching band from Wellington High School - is travelling more than 11,000 miles to bring its own flare to the fanfare.
The annual event won’t be to its usual pre-pandemic scale but, with 250 television screens in the USA and many others across the globe expected to air the display, its pomp and prestige will not go amiss.
Visit the London New Year’s Day Parade and Festival site for further information.
