Final preparations underway for Pride Parade

The Dot's Family float arrives for final assembly, the Outline float is behind it

Although Ponsonby Road is still open, barricades are in place, side streets are closed, traffic marshals are everywhere and colourful floats are going through their final assembly as final preparations are made for this afternoon's Auckland Pride Parade.

Representatives and volunteers of businesses and organisations associated with the glbti communities are working hard bringing together the fruits of days and even weeks of work.

"It's taken six to seven days of hard work by seven people to prefab everything and get it here," says Les Mack who is one of those working on the Dot's Family float. He says the float, based on an immense truck supplied by gay property developer Peter Davies, is in memory of the iconic Surrender Dorothy boutique bar and its successor Dot's Bar. "It's about diversity because we are such a wide range of people," Mack says. Given the HIV-related health struggles of Dot's owner peter Taylor he says the float is also about the triumphs of the human spirit.

The parade kicks off at the south end of Ponsonby Road at 4pm but organisers are advising spectators to arrive well before this time to find parking and good viewing positions.

GayNZ.com Daily News reporters and photographers in the Glamstand and embedded in the parade will report live throughout this afternoon as the parade builds to a climax this evening.

Source: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_12926.php

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