Excitement is running high as Dumfries and Galloway prepares to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with an extended bank holiday weekend.
The 96-year-old Queen is the first British monarch to achieve 70 years on the throne and the region’s residents, schools and businesses are rallying to host parties in streets, parks, gardens, homes, pubs, hotels and village halls to pay tribute to her dedication and service.
Schools across the region, who will be off on Thursday and Friday, have been making bunting and holding parties in their classes during recent days and more are expected in the run up to the weekend.
Commemorative tree planting has also been underway across the region as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.
And libraries across the country are gearing up for the Big Jubilee Read, where 70 books by Commonwealth authors have been selected by a panel of BBC and The Reading Agency experts.
A jubilee concert was held at the Crichton Memorial Church in Dumfries at the weekend hosted by Annan Town Band, with performances from Kirkcudbright Academy musicians.
The celebrations are set to continue throughout the summer as many of the traditional galas and riding of the marches will contain a jubilee theme.
On Thursday (June 2) the official UK celebrations will start with Trooping the Colour, the Queen’s official birthday parade, which ends with an RAF fly-past watched by members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London.
It will also be the day when 1,500 beacons will be lit across the UK and in the capital cities of Commonwealth countries.
In Dumfries and Galloway, town criers have been appointed to read a proclamation outside town halls at 2pm on Thursday, followed by beacons being lit at several locations that evening, which the public are invited to. Some will be lit simultaneously with those across the UK at 9.45pm or around that time – others at times to suit their communities.
Thursday’s beacons include:
●Annan at Watchhall field, Watchall Road (near Tesco) overlooking the Solway organised by the Royal Burgh of Annan Community Council. Entertainment starts at 8pm with Steven Ramage DJ, MC Spectrum Ceilidh Band and Graham the Juggler. At 9.35pm the Royal Burgh of Annan Piper will play Diu Regnare; 9.40pm Annan Town Band bugler will perform Majesty. The beacon will be lit by Joyce Wylie at 9.45am with a unique musical tribute to Her Majesty, followed by a firework display. Car parking with kind permission of Tesco.
● Caerlaverock Estate will be lighting a beacon at the top of Wardlaw Hill at 9.15pm.Car parking will be available in the Castle Field and a tractor and trailer will be available for transport to the bonfire site for those who require it and people are asked to take their own seating and refreshments if they need to.
● Criffel beacon lit at 9.30pm and Carsethorn beacon at 9.30pm: Kirkbean Community Council and Kingan Farms are providing a free beach bbq at 7.30pm.
● A community beacon for Gretna will be lit at the seating area Stormont Hall at 8.45pm with Gretna Old Church bells ringing 70 times. A declaration will be made at 9pm and there will be a piper.
● Dunscore Community Council has organised a beacon to be lit on High Germany Hill above the village at 7pm.
● Penpont Community Council’s Jubilee Bonfire will be lit at 7pm in the field in front of the church. It is being hailed as a great opportunity for Penpont community and friends to get together for a cuppa, cake and chat with children’s competitions, memories of coronation day in Penpont, and local musicians.
See Friday’s Standard for a round-up and we’ll have pictures from as many as possible in next week’s editions. Send in your Jubilee photographs to us at: sharon.liptrott@reachplc.com.
