A right royal revelry is being planned by Bishop’s Stortford Town Council to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The festivities in June and July celebrate the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1952.
This is the first time a British monarch has marked the milestone as a sovereign. In September 2015, Her Majesty overtook Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning monarch.
Residents have organised street parties and the town council has teamed up with the Indie to collate pictures for posterity. Email details of your festivities to newsdesk@stortfordindie.co.uk – using the subject line ‘Jubilee street parties’ – and our photographer Vikki Lince will try to attend to snap your celebrations.
Flags are already flying in the town centre and the council has worked with the BID, the town’s Business Improvement District, to set up a shop window competition to show off the best of British pageantry.
Shops and services have donated £10 each to take part, which will be donated to Her Majesty’s anniversary charities. The judges will pick the winning window next Wednesday (June 1) and the triumphant trader will receive a £50 hamper for staff.
For town centre visitors, there is a town trail, running from May 28 to June 6, which includes a free activity pack for children to enjoy.
To mark the start of the official Platinum Jubilee weekend next Thursday (June 2), town crier Carole Williams will be on duty before the town joins a beacon chain across the country.
In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of the Queen.
Bishop’s Stortford’s beacon will be lit by the war memorial in Castle Park from 9pm, with a piper and the Herts and Soul Community Choir in attendance.
The weekend will continue with the return of Bish Bash, the Bishop’s Stortford Music Festival, after a three-year absence.
EMF, Uncle Funk’s Disco Inferno, The Boo Radleys and Buster Shuffle will headline the live music and entertainment for all the family in Sworder’s Field on Friday and Saturday (June 3 and 4).
The event is the festival’s 20th anniversary so an extra-special party is promised. For full details and ticket prices see www.stortfordmusicfestival.org.uk.
On Saturday June 18, the town’s carnival parade and showground in Sworder’s Field will have a royal theme.
The celebrations will continue next month when the town council buries a time capsule and plants a commemorative tree in Monastery Park.
The authority is calling on residents of Bishop’s Stortford to submit a record of their memories of the Queen’s 70-year reign to be included in the capsule. Accounts should be dropped off at the Tourist Information Centre in Market Square or emailed to tic@bishopsstortford.org by 4pm on June 22.
The time capsule will be buried and the tree planted in a ceremony conducted by mayor Cllr Dave Anderson on July 2 at 11am.
* Uttlesford’s community cinema, Saffron Screen, is celebrating the jubilee with a screening of documentary Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts on Friday and Saturday (May 27 and 28) at 7.30pm and on Saturday June 4 at 4pm. See www.saffronscreen.com.
Credit: Source link
