Derby gets ready to celebrate Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in style

A host of events have been lined up to help Derby celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in style.

Derby City Council and partners across the city have come together to organise events in the city centre across the four days of celebrations, which run from Thursday, 2 June to Sunday, 5 June.

During the extended Bank Holiday weekend, there will be events in the Market Place and Cathedral Green, suitable for all the family.

Highlights will include the lighting of a ceremonial beacon and a military parade, while the Market Place will be decked out street-party style in red, white and blue, complete with picnic benches.

HM Lord Lieutenant for Derbyshire, Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, said: “The last 70 years have seen phenomenal changes in the way we live, and it’s incredible that our Sovereign Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been at the helm throughout.

“She is our longest serving monarch and the epitome of strength and steadfast commitment. It will be wonderful to come together as a city and enjoy a celebration of those years.”

The celebrations will begin on Thursday 2 June with the lighting of a ceremonial beacon.

On Saturday 4 June there will be a Jubilee Military Parade with the Royal Engineers (170 Infrastructure Support Engineer Group) before the start of a weekend of celebrations hosted by Derby LIVE, the council’s arts and events arm.

People will be invited to bring their own picnics to the Market Place, where they will be able to enjoy a weekend of live music and acts.

Meanwhile, the St Peter’s Quarter and Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) will be running an interactive Jubilee story trail for families and a prize draw.

And Derby Museums will be getting in on the act with a special event on Thursday 2 June at the Museum of Making.

The Market Place will be the focus of much of the celebrations, starting with the Platinum Party at the Market Place, hosted by Derby LIVE with the Cathedral Quarter BID.

Taking place on Saturday 4 June, from 2pm to 7.30pm, people will be able to re-live the musical highlights of the past 70 years in one afternoon with a series of live tribute acts, hosted by Jack Tymon from BBC Radio Derby.

Sit back with your picnic and get in the party atmosphere with The Beatles by The Plastic Beatles, UB40 by Ultimate 40, Spice Girls by Spicy Girls and Little Mix by LMX.

This will then be followed by the Platinum Party at the Palace screening, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm, which will use a big screen to show the BBC broadcast of a live concert from Buckingham Palace.

Finally, on Sunday 5 June, from 12noon to 6pm, the Market Place will host The Big Jubilee Lunch.

People will be invited to bring their own picnics and join host Andy Twigge, BBC Radio Derby’s breakfast show presenter, for a stage show from local acts, all projected on the big screen.

Sinfonia Viva, the orchestra of the East Midlands, will play show tunes from the last 70 years.

And there will be music and dance from Surtal Arts and the Hoverla Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.

To see a full list of Derby’s Jubilee celebration events visit https://www.derbylive.co.uk/about-derby-live/news/celebrate-a-once-in-a-lifetime-jubilee/.