Organisers of the annual Lord Mayor’s Parade are calling for more people to participate in the colourful extravaganza.

The carnival parade, with its creative costumes and floats, provides a vibrant spectacle that can attract visitors from far and wide. It is also known as one of the highlights of the city’s schedule of events.

Those behind the parade are appealing for more community groups to take part alongside the schools who regularly join in, in an effort to make this a year to remember.

This year’s theme for the parade, on Saturday, May 19, is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which is being celebrated in June. Previous themes have celebrated the UNESCO year of astronomy, when astronauts, space ships and aliens featured in the parade, and in 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, the image of the tiger was promoted.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Naveeda Ikram, said: “The parade is one of the highlights of the mayoral year.

“It is a fabulous event that involves lots of schoolchildren from across the district and I have always been impressed at the amazing costumes and sets they create on the floats.

“I hope this year will be just as good, if not better, and hope people consider coming forward to take part. I’m sure they will have a great time.”

The parade follows a route in the city centre that will finish in City Park.

Workshops will be run to help people prepare costumes for the parade, so anyone who volunteers to help with a float will have the support they need. Anyone interested in taking part should get in touch with Gillie Kerrod, from Q20 Theatre, on 0845 1260632.