The London New Years Day Parade
The New Years Day Parade that takes place in London has become famous worldwide, it is not only a parade but also a street party to end all street parties. Taking to the streets will be around 10,000 individual performers from all around the globe, along with the hundreds of thousands of people who come to watch the performers, soak up the atmosphere and have a great time. The parade attracts a television audience that reaches into the tens of millions, spreading the carnival joy far and wide. Of course when the first event took place it was on a very different scale – as traditions go the New Years Day Parade is a relatively new one with the first event taking place in 1987 under the banner of the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s Parade. It was something new, something different and something that just grew and grew into the immense event that it is today.
Fun For All The Family
The fantastic thing about the event is that it really is fun for all of the family, no one is left out of the celebrations as everyone can enjoy the party. Though the size of the event may have changed the foundations of it remain the same as they were right in the beginning, it heralds the start of the New Year in the city with an air of celebration and fun, raising the spirits of the city as a whole and bringing a sense of optimism to all.
One of the biggest changes that the parade has seen is in the route that it takes. In the beginning it took to the streets around Hyde Park, being very much for the people of the city, then as it grew it changed to bring the party to the main commercial districts of the city such as Oxford and Regents Street, until now it follows the more high brow and major route of Parliament Square through to the heart of Piccadilly. Over time the ‘Lord Mayor’ was dropped from the name of the event shifting the focus entirely onto the city itself and the people that make it what it is, as London’s Parade all of the London Boroughs became actively involved in the event.
Aiding Charities
The parade each year raises a lot of money for London charities based in each of the boroughs, getting many different communities involved in raising money for good causes. What started out as a humble parade in one small area of the city now encompasses a variety of different celebratory events of which the New Years Day parade is only one. Aside from the big parade there are a number of concerts planned and many different performances from all genres taking place in the city, all of which are taking place between Christmas and New Years Day, which makes it a great time to visit London with the family and enjoy the party atmosphere so that you too can greet the New Year with a smile.
