To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, we’re having a bostin’ Jubilee bash every day during Whitsun half term (28th May – 5th June) and we want you to join in!
We’ll be commemorating past monarchs: recreating community celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in the Village and George VI’s coronation on OBR. We’re then bringing the story up to date in and around Gripton’s, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s televised coronation in 1953. Alongside many other characters, visitors will meet Mr Singh who moved to the Black Country from the Punjab in 1951. The schoolroom will be updated to 1953 to tell a story of Queen and Commonwealth.
Decoration in communities was important – including all kinds of flags. In the title image, you can see the Union Flag alongside the Lion of Scotland, the South African Flag and the Red Ensign Star of British India on a pub in Darlaston in 1953.
As with all street parties – food and drink will play an important role. As such, we’ll have a celebration jelly as well as the baker’s special contribution: a loaf in the shape of a crown. Visitors will be able to buy jam tarts, jellies, fruit cake and samosas.
The day will end with visitors taking part in a parade across the site from 1:30pm, and a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen on the canal dock to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
We need your help!
• Do you have any flags or bunting at home which we could borrow for the duration of the event?
We are looking for flags and bunting made from cotton/linen/canvas (not polyester). They don’t have to be Union flags, or red, white and blue – all Commonwealth Nation flags are welcome. This includes St George’s Flags, Royal Banners of Scotland and other Commonwealth countries. We can return them to you at the end of the event.
• Fancy getting crafty, helping us to make banners and decorations?
Are you free on Friday 29th April (10-12.30pm) or (1.30-4.30pm) to help us recreate a banner like the one below, as well as making bunting and flags? We have hundreds of metal bottle tops already, we just need your help to glue the tops onto the fabric to form the letters on the banner.
Please email [email protected] if you have any bunting/flags or would like to join for the crafting session.
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