York is throwing itself into the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee today (Thursday, 2 June).
So here’s what to look out for in the city if you want to join in the royal fun.
For a start you can enjoy the fabulous bunting – more than 3,500m of it across the city centre. Provided by the York BID (Business Improvement District), it may be the most bunting of any city in the country!
From 10am
Throughout the long Jubilee weekend the BID are also inviting people to St Sampsons Square where they’ll be showing archive footage of the Queen’s visits to the north of England over the years on a big screen.
The footage will be shown on the hour from 10am to 6pm daily from Thursday 2 June to Saturday 4 June.
And the BID has also provided some union flag giant deckchairs as part of the Jubilee celebrations in Dean’s Park, Middletons Hotel Garden, Judge’s Lodging and Museum Gardens.
11.30am
The Queen will be honoured with a double Royal Gun Salute in Museum Gardens to mark the Platinum Jubilee of her coronation and secondly to mark her official birthday.
So this will be a 42-round salute by the 4 Regiment Royal Artillery, as opposed to the usual 21 shots. The band starts at 11.30am and the shots are at noon. Warning: it will be loud!
1pm
Also on the St Sampson’s Square screen will be family favourite The Queens Corgi at 1pm daily with plenty of deckchairs to chill in and patriotic flags.
The Queen’s favourite dog gets lost from the palace and finds himself at a dog fight club. He then begins his long journey to find his way back home.
2pm
York’s Town Crier Ben Fry will make a special Queen’s Jubilee proclamation from the steps of the Mansion House in St Sampson’s Square.
He will ring his bell at the same time as town criers do up and down the country, in a rare coordinated crying event.
9.15pm
York’s Beacon Lighting Ceremony takes place on the Library Lawn.
This short event will include a welcome from the Lord Mayor of York, alongside contributions from York Pipe Band, The Band of the Yorkshire Regiment and Dunnington Community Choir.
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