Little Amal puppet to walk through Manchester in epic parade

Manchester Day organisers have revealed that Little Amal - the 3.4 metre high puppet of a Syrian girl refugee who arrived in Manchester last summer - will be out and about in the city centre during the epic parade. After a forced three-year absence due to Covid, this year's parade promises to be an absolute showstopper.

Sunday, June 18, will be Little Amal's very first Manchester Day. The city has become the home for the puppet after a huge 8,000 km journey through Turkey and across Europe from Syria. And the parade's creators say they are making sure the event will be unmissable.

The city centre will be 'buzzing all day long with plenty of things to see and do, as well as making sure the iconic Manchester Day Parade - full of music, colour, and dance - is the most memorable yet', following it's pause since 2019.

READ MORE:'Concerned' medics have a plan to deal with Monkeypox if it spreads to Greater Manchester

Launched in 2010, Manchester Day is a larger than life celebration – inspired by New York's Thanksgiving parade – that brings the carnival spirit to Manchester city centre each June. Commissioned by Manchester Council, thousands of residents and community groups take part, with thousands more lining the streets to enjoy the procession of floats, music and colour.

Outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank have been working with community groups and local artists throughout the past few months to help them perfect their parade routines and to make the fabulous parade floats that Manchester Day is famous for.

The spotlight for the return of Manchester Day this year is fixed on children and young people as part of the city's year-long, 2022 'Our Year' campaign, as Manchester works towards becoming a UNICEF recognised