Celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Cirencester
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is an event that doesn’t happen in most lifetimes. In fact, this year, Queen Elizabeth II will become the first-ever British monarch to have reigned for 70 years. We have lived all our lives with the Queen reassuringly in place, and, whether you are a royalist or republican, Queen Elizabeth II is a symbol of unswerving duty, steadfastness and service to our country. Celebrating together will create memories for our children that they will tell their children and grandchildren about in years to come. So, let’s party!
Here’s our how-to guide to celebrating the jubilee with craft and party ideas and what’s happening in Cirencester on the Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend from 2nd – 5th June.
Celebrations in Cirencester
From picnics to parades, we've rounded up the best local events and activities for families, plus a few highlights for the grown-ups!
If you're holding a family-friendly Jubilee event in and around Cirencester and would like it featured here, please complete this FORM.
- The Queen’s Hat Jubilee Trail, Corinium Museum until 30th June. The museum has teamed up with children’s author Steve Antony and hidden characters from his ‘Queen series’ around the building for children to find. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/the-queens-hat-jubilee-trail
- Family Fun Day and Picnic, Cirencester Abbey Grounds, 2nd June 11 am- 8 pm. Free event with activities for youngsters. Bring your own picnic. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/the-queens-platinum-jubilee-community-picnic-fun-day
- The lighting of the beacon, Cirencester Market Place, 2nd June 9.30 pm - 9.45 pm. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/jubilee-fun-day
- The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Flower Festival, The Parish Church, Cirencester. 2nd -4th June from 10 am - 4:00 pm. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/queens-platinum-jubilee-celebrations-flower-festival
- Cirencester Open Air Pool Jubilee Fun Day, 3rd June with tombola and games. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/jubilee-fun-day
- Family craft morning, Watermoor Hall, Cirencester, 4th June 10 am – 12:00 pm. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/free-jubilee-celebrations-family-craft-morning
- Fancy dress parade, Cirencester Market Place, 5th June 12 pm– 2 pm. https://www.cirencesterrocks.co.uk/listings/queens-jubilee-fancy-dress-parade
Craft for Queen and Country
There is a wealth of resources online to keep little ones busy with jubilee-inspired crafts.
- The official government website for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee has details of the Platinum Jubilee Creative Challenge – Design a Jubilee Crown to wear on the jubilee weekend. Unleash your imagination by creating your own crown or downloading the crown template from the website to decorate. Then, share your finished artwork via email or social media channels: all the details are on the website above. The organisers are also encouraging people to send in any other jubilee projects which celebrate the Queen, so share your poems, pictures, dance routines, stories - whatever you’re inspired to make! A selection will be shared on the website.
- You can also find downloadable colouring sheets, dot-to-dots, a maze and jubilee-inspired recipes on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee website toolkit. There’s even a Platinum Jubilee Spotify playlist on there to provide some background music to your crafting sessions!
- Hobbycraft is another great place to look for craft ideas – the website has step-by-step instructions for projects, including making a cardboard Queen and corgis and a tissue paper Union flag. Find everything you need in-store at Cirencester Retail Park, Love Lane.
- During the half-term week, in the run-up to the jubilee weekend, Hobbycraft is running a Kid’s Jubilee Me Workshop led by a Hobbycraft expert colleague with everything you need to make a mini-me cardboard roll character, complete with a Union Jack outfit. Book online. Sessions cost £5.00 and are perfect for beginners.
- For the youngest members of the family, The Gingerbread House has ideas for toddlers, including making Guardsmen out of lollipop sticks and the Queen’s Gold State Coach from a paper plate.
Plant a legacy
The Queen’s Green Canopy is a UK-wide environmental initiative launched by Prince Charles encouraging people to “Plant a tree for the jubilee”. From schools, Scout and Guide groups and corporate organisations to individuals, the idea is ‘to encourage everyone to learn more about the best way to plant trees so that they survive and flourish for years to come’.
The tree planting season began in October 2021, and the initiative carries on to the end of this year. Get planning ready for when the planting season starts again in October. Once planted, you can register your tree on the QGC website, which features an interactive map of all the plantings.
There is also lots of practical information and guidance on how and when to plant on The Queen’s Green Canopy website.
If you don’t have the space or resources to plant a tree, why not plant something else instead? If you have a garden, visit the garden centre to choose a new plant such as a rose to mark the occasion. Something more practical such as planting a small herb garden or a vegetable patch would make a lasting and useful legacy. Design and plant up a colourful window box with red, white and blue flowers or even nurture a house plant to bring the idea of that green canopy into your own home.
Party on!
Whether you’re planning a community street party or a get together in your back garden, there are lots of cool jubilee decorations available to buy in local shops and supermarkets, and you can also find some great ideas and inspiration online.
For a summer party vibe, hang up some cool bunting. Hobbycraft has some gorgeous union flag bunting to make or you can use whatever material you have at home – ribbon, felt, material or even paper. Check out some online tutorials to get you started.
Continue the traditional red, white and blue theme with some coloured balloons, napkins and jubilee-style tableware.
Create some pretty English summer flower displays to put on tables. Use jam jars as vases and fill them with flowers from your garden or visit a local florist for some inspiration and advice. You could use separate jars full of red, white and blue flowers and group them together on tables or decorate them with union flag-coloured ribbons.
Afternoon tea, cake and a Platinum Pudding
For the ultimate jubilee celebration, tuck into a cream tea complete with scones and a good helping of jam and clotted cream. Whether you prefer a plain or fruit one, there are lots of recipes available to help you bake the perfect scone.
Wow your guests by serving up a lemon Swiss roll and amaretti trifle - the official winner of the Platinum Pudding competition which will make a great centrepiece. Or if you prefer, you could opt for a traditional English tea complete with finger sandwiches (remember to cut the crusts off!), a selection of cakes and, of course, freshly brewed tea (preferably poured from a teapot!).
The Victoria sponge (named after Queen Victoria, who is said to have enjoyed a slice with her afternoon tea) is a delicious, light cake filled with jam and sometimes cream. This queen of cakes is fun to make with the kids – you could even have your own Bake Off! - and would be a great addition to a jubilee party.
Don't forget to share your events by tagging @cirencesterrocks - we'd love to see what's happening in our wonderful town!
