More floats as Princes Quay parade set to pull in the Christmas crowds

This year's Santa Parade will begin at 11am outside Hull New Theatre.

PRINCES Quay Shopping Centre will kick off its countdown to Christmas with a Santa parade which promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s event.

The parade, which last year attracted huge crowds into the city centre to boost Sunday Christmas shopping, will feature more floats and more people when it takes to the streets on Sunday November 15.

It will begin at 11am outside Hull New Theatre and will proceed along Bond Street and through the Old Town town, making its way to Princes Dock Street where Santa will arrive at Princes Quay through the East Dock Entrance. A detailed route will be available from www.princes-quay.co.uk

Hull-based artist Doug Smelt is currently hidden away behind the scenes in Princes Quay leading a sculptor, portrait artist and graffiti artist on designing and building two of the three floats. Other work is being carried out around the city, with school children producing penguin masks and other surprises to decorate the floats.

Doug said: “I did a bit of work on the parade last year and this time I’m doing all of it for these two floats. We’ve got the Jack Frost character that was so popular last year and we’ve remastered him, given him a bit of cosmetic surgery!

“Working on this year’s parade floats has included plenty of community engagement and it’s great to be involved with such an exciting project that the whole city can benefit from, I hope as many people as possible come out to enjoy the parade which certainly has plenty of WOW factor about it this year.”

HullBID has increased its investment in the parade after receiving positive feedback from city centre businesses following last year’s event.

HullBID city centre manager Kathryn Shillito said: “Last year we covered the cost of the Jack Frost float and we decided to do more this year to help Princes Quay build on the success of the event and to support businesses throughout the city centre.

“It attracted high levels of footfall on a Sunday and it helped retailers get off to a good start with their Christmas trade. It was brilliant to see the city centre and Princes Quay in particular packed with people.”

Princes Quay marketing manager Sarah Smith said the parade will also feature around 100 singers from the All for One choir.

Sarah added: “Last year the parade attracted an unprecedented amount of people into the city centre and was a huge highlight of the Christmas campaign in Hull. We want to improve upon that this year and I believe we will achieve that aspiration. We’ve been working closely with several local artists in partnership with HullBID to include more floats and participants and to ensure Santa arrives in spectacular style.”  

Further details of the parade can be found at www.princes-quay.co.uk and information on other city centre Christmas attractions will appear at www.christmasinhull.co.uk