New Year's Day Parade 2020: Londoners brave cold for capital's annual street festival

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Thousands of Londoners braved throbbing hangovers and the January cold to watch this year’s New Year’s Day Parade.

The 34th year of festive street celebrations kicked off at 12pm from central London’s Piccadilly and ran until 3.20pm.

The procession, featuring more than 10,000 performers from all around the world, snaked past iconic landmarks, from Nelson’s Column to Downing Street, before ending with a flourish in Westminster.

A number of planned road closures will remain in place until 6.30pm, including Regent Street, Pall Mall and Parliament Square, with bus routes three, six, nine and 11 all affected.

More information on the parade route and road closures can be found on the LNYDP website
LNYDP

High school marching bands, Chinese dragon dancers, and a number of Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists are among the acts entertaining onlookers this year.

London’s New Year’s Day Parade (LNYDP) has raised more than a million pounds for charity since the annual tradition began in 1987.

In a message posted on the LNYDP website, Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "There really is no better place to welcome in the New Year than London.

“From the World’s greatest fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, to the fun-filled London’s New Year’s Day Parade and Festival, our capital will be celebrating our unity and diversity as we again show the World that London is open to all.

“At the New Year’s Day Parade, more than 10,000 performers from more than 20 nationalities will stand side by side in celebration. From dancers to marching bands, and giant balloons to stunt riders, they will turn some of our most iconic streets into a sea of joy and colour.

“It will truly be a spectacular way to welcome in 2020, so whether you are a Londoner, a visitor or one of the millions watching at home, I’d like to wish you all a very Happy New Year!”

Every year the event attracts more than 500,000 spectators, with millions more watching on TV, according to the parade’s website.

Innovative spectators find a new vantage point
PA

For the past 13 years, the capital's 31 Boroughs, along with the City of Westminster, have been invited to enter the Parade with some form of entertainment based on the annual Parade theme.

"The entry can take the form of an act, float, performance, dance ensemble, or all the above, making the Borough entries the heart of London’s New Year’s Day Parade," the website states.

All entries are automatically entered into the "Boroughs’ Competition" for a share of a £40,000 cash prize for charity.

The public is then asked to vote for "the best London Borough entry" to be crowned LNYDP champion.

Revellers shared footage of today's event in gleeful Twitter posts.

English cricketer Monty Panesar tweeted just before the fun began: "At the New Year Parade central London come and join the parade biggest and the best city in the world."

While one dedicated aunt shared her struggles, writing: "When your nephew is marching the London’s New Year’s Day Parade and you wake up at 645 am after drinking all night!"

An American onlooker said she was "fascinated" by the parade, saying: "I would never watch so many high school marching bands here but weirdly satisfying to watch them there."

Another bustander wrote simply: "Fantastic parade! Absolutely fantastic!"

As the event drew to a close, LNYDP encouraged viewers to vote for their favourite performances.

Categories include favourite marching band, favourite London Borough and favourite general entry.

The winner for each category will be announced on social media later today.

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