The West Midlands will to hang up the bunting, dust off the Union flags and push the boat out to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
From proms in the park and tribute concerts to Big Jubilee lunches, street parties, vintage parades and 1950s entertainment, the day looks set to remembered by families in the region for decades to come.
The Jubilee seems to have captured the region’s attention even more than Kate and Prince William’s wedding last year – with figures showing twice as many street parties booked for the Queen’s landmark than for the happy couple.
More than 200 requests have been approved to hold patriotic public get-togethers to mark the Queen’s six decades on the throne across the West Midlands – up from 88 applications to seal off streets to celebrate the royal pairing.
A total of 71 street parties have been booked in Birmingham, more than 40 in Solihull, 22 in Walsall, 20 in Tamworth, 20 in Stafford, nine in Lichfield, 12 in Wolverhampton and 11 in Bromsgrove.
Transport company National Express said more than 30,000 people would be travelling to London on its coaches over the weekend, with the busiest departure points including Birmingham.
At least four outdoor functions will take place in Redditch, nine in Cannock, as well as at least seven street celebrations and four park parties in Sandwell.
A series of Big Jubilee lunches will also be staged across the West Midlands while councils and tourist attractions across the region are planning their own Jubilee celebrations.
Tamworth’s Drayton Manor Park is even offering free entry to couples named Liz and Phil on June 5 and National Trust venues across the region will also be holding themed events, including a teddy bears’ picnic on June 5 at Clent Hills and Kinver Edge and Rock Houses will be throwing a 1930s street party on the same day.
The National Trust is also offering children free entry across Birmingham and the West Midlands to mark the celebrations.
Birmingham will mark the Jubilee in a carnival atmosphere with a packed four-day programme of events.
The long weekend will include the annual Lord Mayor’s Show, which will attract 20,000 people alone, Birmingham Pride, pulling in crowds from across Europe, Young Readers Book Bash, vintage parades, nostalgic live music and 1950s-themed entertainment.
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: “There is a distinctly 1950s feel to Birmingham’s four days of celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee from June 1-5.
“There are vintage parades and nostalgic live music in Birmingham city centre, 50s-themed entertainments at the annual Spring Festival in Cannon Hill Park and a recreation of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party from Disney’s 1951 classic movie adaptation of Alice in Wonderland at the Young Reader’s Book Bash.
“There will be majestic music performed by CBSO at Symphony Hall with a magnificent concert of classical music with a Royal theme by Elgar, Britten and William Walton, as well as Alexandre Desplat’s BAFTA-award winning music from The Kings Speech.”
Birmingham’s Deputy Lord Mayor Anita Ward said: “The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations will unite people of all ages and interests throughout the city. From street parties to the Spring Fair, Birmingham Pride to the Book Bash, Birmingham will have a diverse range of exciting events that will allow local people and communities to come together for this fabulous bank holiday weekend.”
One of Britain’s oldest Muslim groups, The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, is also planning a major commemoration of 60 years of the Queen’s reign by offering prayers for her in as many languages – including at two Birmingham mosques.
On June 3, the Baitul Ghafoor Mosque, Long Lane, Halesowen, will host a BBQ street party for its neighbours which is due to attended by Dudley Mayor, West Midland MEP Phil Bennion and faith leaders.
The Jubilee festivities will also be reflected in the skies across the region when Diamond Jubilee Beacons are lit in succession across the country.
Just some of the venues involved in the beacon lighting include Walsall, Barr Beacon, a concert at Wolverhampton’s Victorian West Park and the roof of Tamworth’s Snowdome. With only 10 pupils, Flash Church of England Primary School in the village of Flash in Staffordshire is the highest school in Britain and will also light a beacon. The West Midlands will also have a presence in the Queen’s 1,000-boat flotilla.
Pat Corfield, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for culture and communities said: “It is a thrill and honour for Staffordshire to be able to play such a significant part in the national celebrations.’’
Not put off by the lack of a river, Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield, will be staging an Unsinkable Boat Pageant by showing home-made boats off in a parade.
Like many other villages it will also be getting into the vintage spirit by holding 1953-style games, including a sack race, on top of a party in the park with an Abba tribute band and City of Lichfield Concert Band.
A long weekend of celebrations in the cathedral city of Lichfield will include the Greenhill Bower, a traditional street carnival, a garden party at Staffordshire Regimental Museum at Whittington Barracks and a Big Jubilee lunch in the grounds of the cathedral to be launched by a “belting cry” from city crier Ken Knowles.
Lichfield City Council will also be stepping back in time by placing a banner across the front of the city’s Guildhall, to re-create a banner placed there for the last Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. Town clerk Peter Young said: “The banner appears in a famous photograph of the Guildhall. Surprisingly little has changed over the last 115 years.”
The 1897 banner was lit by gas lamps and the city celebrated the jubilee in style with a free concert, free tea for school children, and a Grand Military tattoo “preceded by bearers of torches” – something which fittingly heralds the Olympic Torch procession that will pass through the city on June 30. A free Jubilee concert will be provided to mark this year’s event too and later this month, on June 16, there will also be a Jubilee Proms Concert at the Lichfield Cathedral to be presented by John Sergeant.
