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This year's New Year's Day Parade marks the official start of the new year in London, but this year it also marks the start of an important year for the UK.

The New Year's Day Parade is not only the first official event marking Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee but is also the first official event in London for the Olympic Games year.  

The parade kicks of at 11.45 at Piccadilly, opposite the Ritz Hotel and completes its journey around the streets of London at around 3pm in Parliament Street.
 
More than 10,000 participants in an array of multicoloured costumes from 20 countries will make their way along the two mile route to welcome in 2012 to London.