Premieres Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 at 7 a.m. on KPBS TV / Stream the the 2023 Parade now with KPBS Passport
London's New Year's Day Parade is a cherished turn-of-year tradition bringing pomp, circumstance, and good old-fashioned fun to the U.K. capital. The event, now in its fifth decade, raises spirits along its iconic parade route through the ancient city of Westminster. Cultural and community groups rub shoulders with leading professional entertainers and the mayors of London. Plus, more than 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders fill the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight.
Join our top commentary team, Bob Bone, Daisy Tormé, Swarzy Macaly and the Parade Director himself, Joe Bone who will be waiting on the streets of London’s West End to relay all the fun and excitement of this cherished turn-of-year tradition. Packed full of pop, pomp, circumstance and ceremony, the world’s favorite, and first, parade of the New Year, is a must watch for young and old. Broadcast LIVE to the USA, the event is set to feature a kaleidoscopic cultural experience and a wealth of entertainment.
London has taken the US marching band culture to its heart and gives them the warmest of welcomes when they travel across the pond to participate in this cherished event. The 2024 Parade features more than 20 marching bands and a thousand cheerleaders from across the USA.
Among the U.S. groups stepping out on the iconic two-mile route, from the Ritz Hotel to the Houses of Parliament:
- Southmoore High School, Moore, Oklahoma
- Key West High School, Florida
- D’Evelyn High School Marching Jaguars, Denver, Colorado
- The Oak Grove & Independence All Stars, San Jose, California
- Talladega College Great Tornado Band, Talladega, Alabama
- Grayson High School, Loganville, Georgia
- Mansfield University, Mansfield, Pennsylvania
- Londonderry High School Band, Londonderry, New Hampshire
- Lake Norman High School, Mooresville, North Carolina
- Disco Amigos, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Carl Sandburg High School Marching Band, Orland Park, Illinois
The Lord Mayor of Westminster, all borough mayors and other British dignitaries head up the event in a traditional carriage parade, whilst British pop star ‘the one and only’ Chesney Hawkes, headlines the event. A dozen boroughs from across London will be represented with creative entries from their respective communities.
Distributed by American Public Television. Destination Events Ltd.
