THE DIARY
A TEAM of 25 people painstakingly helped to build the Coronation Street float for this year’s Manchester Pride parade, and work on the attraction started back in April.
The fairytale theme float, in keeping with the Once Upon A Time theme, had a gingerbread house and a house made of straw from Three Little Pigs and Hansel and Gretel.
The Rovers Return, Dev’s corner shop and Jack and Vera’s old home with blue and yellow cladding all featured with heaps of lollipops, candy canes and colourful windmills.
The Coronation Street float only became a regular fixture of the Manchester Pride parade in 2010.
The cast and crew joined the parade as part of the show’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and their annual float is one of the festival’s biggest attractions.
Once again the creation of the float was managed by Corrie assistant director Woody Wade, the brains behind the show’s involvement in the parade.
She said: “I live, breathe, eat and sleep Pride. The cast and crew had a float in the parade for the 50th anniversary and I took over the reins the year after. It was something I took on and to fund it we raise money and find sponsorship.
“It’s important to participate and represent Coronation Street.”
This year sponsorship for the float has come from ITV, Black Dog Ballroom and Velvet hotel bar and restaurant.
Woody added: “I have heard that people come to see the float from as far as Canada. The cast ask what the theme is and get into the spirit of things.”