Arrive early says busy Pride Parade director

Parade director Jonathan Smith

The most important advice Auckland Pride Parade director Jonathan Smith says he can offer is: "arrive early."

Speaking in the Crummer Road assembly point as he was fitted for rt gear Smith, who has laboured for months to create this afternoon's parade, says with a touch of surprise in his voice that he is "exceedingly relaxed" as the final countdown ticks by.

Smith's duties have moved from paperwork, admin and organisation to overseer of the hundreds, if not thousands, of people involved in staging the event. "I'm roving around at the moment checking that the staff are doing what they have to do, I'll shortly be checking in at Parade HQ to ensure that all the processes are ticking over then I'll be walking the entire route doing a safety check to ensure that no unsafe or illegal structures such as private viewing stands on awnings have sprung up," he says.

Smith says the weather may well be the absolute ideal he had hoped for. It's currently lightly overcast with patches of warm sun and a light breeze. "If it stays like this, and I think it will, then it will be perfect," he laughs, having had to prepare for eventualities such as cold or even rainy weather, or heat-stroke-inducing blazing sun. While the breeze will be welcome for spectators Smith clearly has in mind the possible complications created by a breeze and "thousands of helium-filled balloons" which are due to arrive at the parade assembly area shortly.

Asked for the most important piece of advice he has for spectators, Smith says without hesitation: "Arrive early... and stay safe!"

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_12927.php

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