Celebrations in Brighton for the Queen's Jubilee

Impossible to avoid, the build up to the Queen's big day has seen a whole host of household objects receiving a very patriotic red white and blue makeover.  £1 paper cups with Union Jacks on them, bath mats, sofas, umbrellas and women's tights have all got involved as well as houses having bunting draped across them and flags flying all over the place - there is no doubt the Queen's Jubilee is imminent.

Union Jack, plastic

Across the land people are preparing to celebrate the Queen's coronation of 1953 in a variety of ways with the most spectacular events of all taking place in the heart of London.  On Sunday a pageant of 1,000 boats will sail up the River Thames in convoy travelling through the heart of the city for the entertainment of millions. Then on Monday after night fall thousands of beacons will be lit across the UK and around the world to create a moving spectacle.

Across Brighton, in tandem with the rest of the country there will also be events to mark the occasion with picnics in parks, bands playing, beacon lighting, beer drinking, face painting and a whole load of flag waving to boot.

Highlighting a few of these free events is the list below with links to websites for more information, however wherever the weekend takes you I hope it is spent having lots of fun.



Saturday 2 June, 12 - 3pm
Picnic in the Park, Preston Park
Free

The Friends of Preston Park together with CityParks invite you to come and celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with them. Bring your own picnic and enjoy each other’s company.
There will be music from a brass band provided by members from the Patcham Silver Band and the Mid Sussex Brass Band. A bouncy slide, fun and games from Spots and Stripes as well as free face-painting will be provided to entertain the children.
All ages are encouraged to make and wear their own crown for the occasion, with a prize being awarded to the best adult and the best children’s crown.

Saturday 2 June, 11-12.30 and 1-2.30pm
The Summer Smugglers and Great Pirate Picnic, Rottingdean
Free

Come dressed as a Pirate, bring your own picnic or enjoy food and drink from local traders.  Samesky will help design and build a series of Pirate boat costumes with children who will get a chance to parade around the seafront accompanied by Skulldrummery before taking their costumes home to keep. 
Samesky workshops with 30 places each will run from 11am to 12.30pm, 1pm to 2.30pm (under 7's to be accompanied by adults).  Skulldrummery will be bringing along a few extra drums to teach the young ones a few Pirate tunes.

Monday 4 June, 2.30-4.15pm
Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert, Rottingdean
Free

Featuring The Band and Corps of Drums of The Royal Logistic Corps, the army band will present a concert for the village in aid of the Help for Heroes Fund (a collection will be taken). The event will also mark the official opening of the Rottingdean Terraces Stage and Concourse as an occasional village performance venue. (In case of wet weather the concert will be in St Margaret’s Church.)

Saturday 2 – Tuesday 5 June, 10am - 4pm
Diamond Jubilee Flower Festival, Chapel Royal, North Street
Free

Quince flower display in Chapel Royal

The Chapel Royal is holding a Diamond Jubilee Flower Festival and all voluntary donations are in aid of The Martlets Hospice and The Chestnut Tree Children's Hospice. The Chapel Royal is situated on one of Brighton’s main thoroughfares and is a very welcoming and peaceful place to visit. It is also one of the most historic buildings in the city and is steeped in the history of the British Royal Family and the Royal Pavilion and the foundation stone was laid by the Prince Regent in 1793.

Local florists, clubs, other churches and individuals are all supporting the Flower Festival to make the Chapel Royal look absolutely beautiful and friends of the Chapel will be on hand to answer any questions on the history of the building. In addition a Jubilee Pavement Cafe will also be open during the festival offering light refreshments and homemade cakes.

Monday 4 June, 1-11pm
Ancient Mariner Street Party, Hove
Free

Ancient Mariner Jubilee Street Party

Live music and an all day BBQ, with a cider and ale bar stocked with middle farm ciders and Sussex ales will be available in a marquee and there will be a kids corner with face painting,arts and crafts to make an amazing day.

The music line up includes:

1-3pm Chris Driver - playing lots of lovely covers
3-5pm Boon Dock - Brighton folk band
5-7pm Toofleamac- Acoustic guitars and harmonies taken to the next level. With their unique take on soul, funk, R'n'B and classic rock songs.
7-9pm Sam Chara and Bing Lyle - A duo with a French repertoire, playing jazz tunes and other popular songs


Monday 4 June, 10.15pm
Beacon lighting will take place at the following locations:
Free

The Norfolk Groyne, (near the Peace Statue) in Hove
accompanied with music from steel band Euphoria.

Promenade near Hove Lagoon
accompanied by music from the brass band Fanfara.

Beacon Hill, Rottingdean.

Wrap up warm just in case!

Union Jack paper cup