The Queen's Platinum Jubilee is nearly upon us, commemorating 70 years of service - the first British monarch to reach such a landmark. But this also means a four-day bank holiday weekend which will run from Thursday, June 2, to Sunday, June 5.
A number of events and celebrations are set to take place not only in Nottinghamshire, but across the country. The BBC will be covering Trooping the Colour and a host of other tributes to The Queen in what is sure to be an emotional few days for people throughout the nation
So, how are you thinking of celebrating the occasion? From street parties to family-friendly picnics with music and refreshments, Nottinghamshire has you covered.
Plans across the country on Thursday, June 2
- 10am - Trooping the Colour will begin early on Thursday, and members of the Royal Family will leave Buckingham Palace at 10.30am for the parade ground.
11am - Trooping the Colour is expected to begin.
1pm - The RAF flypast over Buckingham Palace is expected, and the Queen and other royals will watch from the palace balcony.
10am to 1.15pm - 'Trooping the Colour' will be broadcast on BBC One.
9.25pm - The Royal Family will gather at Buckingham Palace to watch the Platinum Jubilee's principal beacon be lit.
9.45pm - Beacons across the UK, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands will then be lit up to mark the Queen's 70-year reign.
8pm to 10pm - BBC One will broadcast 'Platinum Beacons: Lighting up the Jubilee'.
Plans across Nottinghamshire on Thursday, June 2
- Bingham - Lighting of a beacon.
- Bramcote - from 7pm - 10pm South West Notts Scouts are hosting a Platinum Jubilee Picnic and Lighting of the Jubilee Beacon at Hemlock Scout Campsite in Bramcote.
- Costock - Art exhibition in the village hall and cream teas in a Jubilee Marquee on the school playing field.
- Cotgrave - Beacon lighting. Cotgrave Town Council has arranged to light a beacon on the grassed area in front of the shopping centre at 9.45pm. There will be a bagpiper and possibly a bugler marking the event.
- East Leake - An evening picnic on the Recreation Ground and with food stalls is being organised by The Parish Council. There will be a piper playing Diu Regnare and buglers and cornets will play Majesty before the lighting of a beacon.
- Gedling - Beacon lighting at Gedling Country Park. Carlton Brass will be performing outside Café 1899 from 8pm and the beacon will be lit at 9.15pm.
- Gotham - Gotham Parish Council is organising a ‘Picnic in the Park’. The event is being held at Gotham Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground, Nottingham Road, NG11 0HE. There will also be a beacon lighting at 9.45pm.
- Keyworth - Official Jubilee Beacon will be lit at 9.45pm near the Village Hall.
- Mansfield - Picnic in the Park. Bring your own picnic and enjoy the entertainment in Yeoman Hill Park from 12noon until 2pm.
- Nottingham Castle - Thursday, June 2 - Sunday, June 5. From 10am until 4pm celebrations at the castle and within its grounds will include open-air installation, artworks amongst the trees, craft workshops on the Middle Bailey, and impromptu storytelling.
- Ruddington - Beacon lighting on the village green, officiated by a local dignitary, at 9.45 pm. Light refreshments will be available on site.
- Sneinton - Green's Windmill will be lighting a Beacon at 9.45pm.
- Thoresby - Veterans' Big Breakfast taking place at Thoresby Court Yard. Bring along your own chair or blanket. Breakfast rolls served from 8.30 – 9.45 a.m. Entertainment includes: 9.15am – 9.45am – Pipes and Drums. 10am – 12noon – Live Screening. 12.15pm – 12.45pm and 1.15pm – 1.45pm – Daisy Belles. All day car parking £3.
- Torworth - Beacon Lighting at Torworth Park, Nottinghamshire - from 8pm-11pm. Bring a picnic, there'll be free hot drinks and pastries, music and the the beacon will be lit at 9.45 pm.
- Willoughby-on-the-Wolds - 9.45pm Lighting of Beacon/bonfire at the Park.
Plans across the country on Friday, June 3
On Friday, a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's long reign will be held at the historic London landmark of St Paul's Cathedral in London, as seen in The Express.
11am - Members of the Royal Family will start arriving at the service, which is closed to the public.
9.15am to 12.30pm - BBC One will broadcast 'A Service of Thanksgiving.'
Plans across Nottinghamshire on Friday, June 3?
- Awsworth - 2pm - 5pm. Queens Jubilee Afternoon Tea for those 65 and over and live in Awsworth - tea, cake, games and a good old sing song.
- Costock - Village treasure hunt with prizes.
- Cropwell Butler - 2pm to 8.30pm. Afternoon tea at the Village Hall with charity stalls, children’s entertainment and a craft area. There will be a dance display, dog show, barn dance and BBQ during the evening. Tickets for the whole day are £5 for adults and children are free.
- Gedling - Queen's Green Canopy Tree Planting. Gedling Country Park from 1pm - 4pm.
- Kimberley - 11am - 5pm Kimberley Picnic In Park. Entrance is £2 for adults, £1 for children and under 5s free. Head to the Stag Football Ground.
- Mansfield - Jubilee proms and picnic in the park. 11am - 4pm. An afternoon at Berry Hill Park of live music, Punch and Judy shows, 50s style dancers, and traditional children's games.
- Nottingham city centre - An exhibition entitled 70 Glorious Years – The Queen in Nottingham will be a large format open-air photographic exhibition staged in Old Market Square between Friday 27 May – Sunday 5 June. A collection of 22 images will celebrate the Queen’s visits to Nottingham over the last 70 years from the Coronation tour in 1955 through to her most recent visit for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The images also look at how the Nottingham people have celebrated significant royal occasions over the years. People coming to visit this exhibition can reminisce or learn for the first time about the Queen and her links to the city.
Plans across the country on Saturday, June 4
Saturday's Platinum Jubilee celebrations include the Epsom Derby and the Platinum Party at the Palace.
Derby Day falls on Saturday and members of the Royal Family are expected to attend, but reports have indicated the Queen may not attend.
4.30pm - The Cazoo Derby 2022 will be run in the late afternoon.
Plans across Nottinghamshire on Saturday, June 4
- Arnold - Queens Jubilee Fair at Arnot Hill Park from 11.00am - 5.00pm.
- Costock - Children's procession dressed as Kings and Queens. Afternoon sports day followed by a tea party. In the evening there will be a Ceilidh in the Jubilee Marquee.
- Keyworth - From 10am to 2pm, there will be a range of events across Keyworth Village Hall and the ExChanging Rooms including wildflower seeds and trees for distribution to interested residents and family and craft activities, including local nature illustrators and artists and Wild Things Keyworth. The Abundance Garden will also be open.
- Ruddington - A Royal Oak tree, donated by a local resident, will be planted on the village green at 11am, during the monthly village market. St Peter’s Church is also organising a craft session for children in St Peter’s Rooms.
- Ruddington - In the afternoon there will be village tours given by Gavin Walker from Ruddington Village Museum and Ruddington History Society, followed by an afternoon of BBQ style food, music by Carlton Brass Band and drinks at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. Tickets for the Heritage Centre’s event cost £8 and can be purchased from the Heritage Café.
Plans across the country on Sunday, June 5
Across the UK - 'The Big Jubilee Lunch' will be taking place in communities up and down the country.
- 2.30pm - The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will start at 2.30pm and will finish at 5pm at the Queen Victoria Memorial in London.
- 1pm to 5.30pm - 'The Platinum Pageant' will be broadcast by BBC One.
Plans across Nottinghamshire on Sunday, June 5
- Arnold - Big Lunch Picnic at King George V Recreation Ground in Hallams Lane.
- Awsworth - From 2pm. Awsworth Picnic In The Park - Open to all Awsworth residents, bring your own picnic, blanket and chairs.
- Bingham - From 12noon to 6pm. There will be a lunch party on the Square at the Market Place. Residents are invited to bring a picnic and drink and enjoy live entertainment and a quiz.
- Bunny - 2pm to late. Afternoon Tea Party on the Bunny Village Green. Wear your best red, white, blue or purple - prizes for the best dressed.
- Costock - Service in the parish church followed by a Big Jubilee Lunch, which starts at 1.30pm in the marquee - those attending to take their own food to share.
- Cotgrave - ‘Big Lunch’. Again, the Town Council has been organising and it will be providing an afternoon of music and dancing from 11.45am to 5.15pm as part of the national 'Big Lunch'. There will be a stage and a small range of food and drink stalls with local restaurant Strezza providing food and an outside bar on the green space in front of the shopping centre on Candleby Lane.
- Keyworth - The Big Keyworth Picnic: An invitation to residents to take part in a community picnic in the centre of the village with family entertainment on offer. There is also a service at St Mary Magdalene Church in the Square at 4pm.
- Kirkby-in-Ashfield - Big Jubilee Lunch on Kingsway Park in Kirkby. There'll be music, food and drink, stalls and activities for the whole family. Bring your picnic to Kingsway Park and join in the fun from 11am to 3pm.
- Ruddington - A service on The Green at 10.30am organised by St Peter’s Church. This will be followed by a bring-your-own community picnic from 12noon, with live music from Nottingham Concert Band, games/activities for the children and tombola. An indoor cinema for children will be available in the afternoon at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church.
- Southwell - 12noon - 3.30pm. The Big Jubilee Lunch, Southwell Minster. The West Walk in the grounds of the Minster will play host to an open-to-all street party.
- Torworth - Torworth's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations will take place from 11am until 6pm.
- West Bridgford - Platinum Jubilee Street Party in Central Avenue. Picnic benches will line the high street for The Big Jubilee Lunch from 11am to 4pm. Bring your own picnic. Entertainment programme for mini stage and Croquet Lawn includes a DJ, dancers, drummers, comedy waiters, punch and Judy, Morris dancers and more.
