Manchester is to host its first ever Christmas Parade through the city streets featuring street performers, magical stilt walkers, artists and bands. The procession will be filled with all the "sights, sounds and sparkle that spell Christmas" and will weave its way through the streets of the city centre to help bring some extra festive cheer in December.
Council bosses say they aim to build on the success of the city's Manchester Day Parade which, after starting small for its first parade back in 2010, now regularly sees thousands of people flock to the city centre to watch. The inaugural Manchester Christmas Parade will take place on Sunday 11 December.
Organisers say it will be a magical parade "filled with all the sights, sounds and sparkle that spell Christmas" and will weave its way through the streets of the city centre around the Manchester Christmas Markets. It will be free for all to watch along Deansgate, St Ann's Street, Cross Street at St Mary's Gate.
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It will boast over 100 parade participants, and spectators can expect to see everything from Jack Frost and fairy stilt-walkers, an arctic fox, and runaway Christmas presents. There will also be cocky robins, glowing gastropods with elf riders, and a never-before-seen Christmas Toy Procession.
Also making a special appearance in the parade will be a version of Manchester's famous Town Hall Clock, wound up and looking its very festive best, helping make sure the parade runs like clockwork. The event is being brought together by a partnership with Manchester Business Improvement District and outdoor art experts including Walk the Plank, Global Grooves, Handmade Parade and others.
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: "Nowhere else does a parade quite like Manchester and and we can't wait to bring the first-ever, not-to-be-missed Manchester Christmas Parade to Santa's favourite city.
"Of all the places in the world that Santa could have chosen for this magical festive first, Manchester is the obvious choice. It's going to be fabulous and we can't wait!"
Businesses based in the city centre have been working in partnership with the council throughout the festive season via Manchester BID (Business Improvement District) with the aim to make Christmas magical in Manchester this year.
This has included commissioning a series of six Festive Sundays, filled with sparkling street performances that have already been delighting families through November, as well as teaming up with the council on the Manchester Christmas Parade.
Jane Sharrocks, Manchester BID Chair and General Manager at Selfridges Exchange Square said: “We’re delighted to be involved in what will be Manchester’s first official Christmas Parade. As well as being a huge draw for families, it’s also a fantastic headline event for our programme of Festive Sundays.
"That has already seen sparkling street performers including illuminated bands, roaming puppets, stilt-walkers, supersized penguins and more, take to the city’s main shopping streets for six consecutive Sundays during November and December.”
The Manchester Christmas Parade will start at 1pm on Sunday, December 11 and will take in Deansgate, St Ann's Street, Cross Street and St Mary's Gate.
More details on parade content and timings will be confirmed ahead of the event.
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