2023 Melbourne Cup Parade cancelled

The annual Melbourne Cup parade will not go ahead this year amid ongoing protests against the iconic race.

Victoria Racing Club (VRC) confirmed the long-standing tradition, in which horses and jockeys are paraded through the city's streets, will be ditched in November.

The parade has been held every year since 1983, except for a hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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VRC chief executive Steve Rosich told The Age this year's celebrations will instead involve a "feature event" in the city.

In recent years the procession, which is traditionally held on the eve of the Melbourne Cup, has attracted protests over animal cruelty concerns.

At last year's event "Nup to the Cup" demonstrators flocked to the city's CBD to call for a ban on horse racing.

The City of Melbourne said the VRC had not applied for funding this year through the council's Event Partnership Program, as it did in 2022.

The VRC has requested funding for 2024, leaving the window open for the event's return next year.