May 8, 2013 
After winning promotion to the Premier League as champions of the Npower Championship, Cardiff City in conjunction with Cardiff Council held a day of events across the City to celebrate their promotion.
Here’s a few snippets all glued together from what was an amazing day with an electric atmosphere throughout. Watch it full screen and click the HD option!
Events began with the team gathering at the St David’s Spa hotel in Cardiff Bay.
A spectacularly sunny day but the team left the hotel to only a handful of fans.
First out was Malky Mackay whom was ushered into a BMW, closely followed by Craig Bellamy into another BMW. The rest of the team and guests boarded the three team coaches that awaited outside the front of the hotel.
One young supporter waved off the team with his flag!
A police escort led the winning team away but not before the coaches kindly stopped to allow a wheelchair to cross infront before they made their way straight to Cardiff Castle ready for the start of the parade.
City fans began gathering outside Cardiff Castle waiting to get their first glimpse of the crowned champions whereas street sellers were busy selling tshirts and flags whilst EVERY pub was overflowing with a real carnival atmosphere building along High Street.
After the team boarded the open-top bus, confetti spewed out and supporters sang their hearts out. Slowly progressing up St Mary Street to deafening applause and chanting and singing – the party had officially begun!
On the front of the bus were Craig Bellamy and Mark Hudson soaking up the atmosphere with the odd can of beer being thrown up onto the bus for all the players to enjoy!
At one point Mark Hudson and Aron Gunnarsson looked very happy with their achievements – there was also a lot of drinking from the bottle!
Edging up past City drinking pubs like The Burrough where fans showed their appreciation of what an immense achievement it was for the team and the city!
In the second bus were other guests and ex-players including Scott Young.
Heading towards the ‘new’ Kiwis and the bus stopped as even the traffic lights went red(!!!) where the team all posed for even more photos whilst another set of confetti filled the air.
Local band Wonderbrass played some football themed songs and kept the party going long after the parade bus had passed.
Eventually the bus made it to Cardiff Bay and an estimated 40,000 fans saw them leave the bus and enter into the Wales Millennium Centre.
Malky Mackay then posed on the balcony with the championship trophy in hand.
I have never seen Roald Dahl Plass so busy – it was a continuous sea of people who were all here to celebrate and have an amazing party. Extra bars, food outlets and toilets were provided with local supermarkets all running out of alcohol!
A spine-tingling atmosphere, with everyone was in such good spirit and not a single arrest during the whole day!!
An official reception was then held at The Senedd where team mates still in their smart blue suits, entered infront of the adorning fans, Craig Bellamy (what a gent) stopped and shook a young child’s hand infront of me.
After the reception the team left to more applause, with the players including Mark Hudson holding the trophy aloft.
One of the dignatories, Rhodri Morgan, even felt compelled to do ‘the ayatollah’
Even though the Oval Basin was already packed many more fans seem to arrive during the evening awaiting the team to be officially presented with the trophy on stage.
Throughotu the day local bands played on stage, Alex Winters (who?) entertained the crowd and even Wynne Evans gave a rousing rendition of Men of Harlech.
The Wales Millennium Centre was illuminated in a similar style to that of The Cardiff City Stadium where it was lit up in red and blue (nice touch guys!)
Eventually the team made it onto centre stage where the Mayor of Cardiff gave a speech even if she was (hilariously) interrupted by some players with a few chants! 😉
Next Malky Mackay gave a speech to huge applause from the crowds before a really spectacular fireworks display lit up the Cardiff skies….predominently red fireworks I hasten to add!
The party lasted well into the Bank Holiday Weekend with the official party being back at The St David’s Spa hotel – here’s few photos posted by the players themselves!
https://twitter.com/theojw1/status/331440926230728704
Nice account of a great day with some really good pics. I think it’s worth noting that the majority of the fans were in blue, I really don’t think anyone whose only experience of Cardiff City was the parade would ever have guessed the team plays in red. BLUEBIRDS
Thanks for commenting Twm! Was a quality day. Id say most people who chose to wear a City top did opt for one in blue – but the red top did seem rather popular with the kids mind.
Shame the bus was red and the fireworks too!
I think this photo illustrates that people wore and flew flags of both colours!
They will forever be THE BLUEBIRDS and hopefully will revert back to blue once this ‘period’ is over! 😉
Lee
http://ww.djleekee.co.uk