The Manchester Day parade that has been a popular fixture in the city centre since 2010 is being scrapped for 2023. Manchester council has revealed big changes to the annual celebration this year to become a Manchester Day and Night event instead.
The parade had been the focal element of previous Manchester Day events in the city, which is traditionally held in June. It has been a chance for hundreds of people to parade and dance through the city in colourful celebration of their communities, while thousands line the streets to cheer them on.
The council made an announcement on Friday night that Manchester Day would be "bigger and better than ever this year with a brand new format". Part of the "revamp" means pulling the parade element, as well as moving the date to later in the summer, on Saturday, July 29 this year, when it will run from 12noon to 9pm.
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The council statement said: "The event, which promises to be a great start to the school summer holidays, will for the first time, instead of including a parade, be extending its hours until well into the evening." It added the event will be a "special night city celebration, filled with music and more."
The traditional Manchester Day parade made a grand return in 2022 after a two year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic. It saw thousands lining Deansgate to cheer on the 1,300 participants in floats and in dancing and walking entries.
It is understood that council bosses this year felt an all-day and night celebration of Manchester would be "better than a parade that's all over in an hour". They have promised that the streets will be filled with live music, pop-up performances, have-a-go activities, art installations, crafts, a Manchester market, food and drink stalls, and "surprises on every street corner" across the Saturday.
They say there will be something for families and people of all ages to enjoy and get involved with. Bosses will be working with creative partners including Walk the Plank and Global Grooves on finalising the programme for the new-style celebration event.
City centre spokesperson Councillor Pat Karney says the decision is NOT to do with cutting costs, but a chance to "do something different" with the event. He hasn't ruled out the return of the parade in years to come.
Cllr Karney said: "We just wanted to do something different this year. We have always wanted to do a Manchester Night, so we thought we'd step back from the parade this year.
"Hopefully all the people who normally come to the parade will want to come to this. We're going to close off the city centre to be fairly car-free, and have loads of entertainment for families right across the city centre."
Cllr Karney added a return for the parade in future years had not been ruled out. He said: "The Manchester Day parade may come back, it's not gone forever. But once you've done so many parades you have to step back and think how to refresh it and do something new."
Cllr Karney has, however, confirmed that the Christmas Parade, which made a successful debut at the Cathedral end of Deansgate in December 2022, WILL return this year. He said: "That's going to be a major, major event this year. It really took us by surprise how well that went."
Further details of the new Manchester Day and Night will be announced in the weeks ahead, including the planned road closures.
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