1000’s be a part of London’s New Yr’s Day parade as swimmers courageous icy waters

Revellers lined the streets for London’s New Yr’s Day parade on Sunday as swimmers throughout the nation went for a cold dip to herald 2023.

Entertainers from throughout the globe introduced a vibrant carnival of tradition to the West Finish because the occasion moved from Piccadilly to Parliament Sq. for the primary time since 2020 because of the pandemic.

In the meantime, folks up and down the nation went for a fast swim within the sea at seashores from Gyllyngvase seashore in Falmouth, to South Queensferry, Scotland.

The three-and-a-half-hour London parade – dubbed by Toploader, one of many bands making an look, because the “excellent hangover treatment” – featured greater than 8,000 performers in 70 efficiency teams.

Bob Bone, the founding father of the parade, has helped flip it into an annual custom because the inaugural occasion in 1987.

This yr’s parade was crammed with marching bands, cheerleaders, pearly kings and queens, dancers, drummers, biking golf equipment and large balloons.

Mr Bone stated: “This yr the parade is again to its sensible greatest.

“We’re delighted to see that so many performers have travelled from all over the world.

“That is the primary mass gathering of the parade since Covid. That is the primary time since 2020 we now have had a parade.

“It’s superb. It’s what we do. It’s what we love and it offers London this unimaginable alternative to showcase itself to the world, to present the world a wave and say ‘come on over’.”

There are about 20 nations represented among the many acts – together with an El Salvadorian band who travelled from the rainforest, plus performers from China, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and others from the US, UK and Europe.

Mr Bone stated: “It’s a massively cosmopolitan carnival. It’s tradition, color and terrific enjoyable.”

It has “raised billions for London and the UK as a complete” through the years, together with £2 million for London charities, the organisers stated.

In the meantime, a whole lot of individuals headed to seashores throughout the nation to herald the brand new yr with a bracing dip within the sea. Revellers took half in a New Yr’s Day swim in South Queensferry, Scotland – a practice which is referred to regionally as a “loony dook”.

Swimmers had been additionally snapped in fancy gown on seashores in Falmouth in Cornwall, Scarborough seashore in Yorkshire, and Whitley bay on the North East coast.