To mark Her Majesty The Queen’s historic landmark Platinum Jubilee year which started 6 February 2022, there are a plethora of year long Platinum Jubilee celebrations planned throughout the United Kingdom, the Common wealth and around the world as communities unite to celebrate The Queen’s historic seventy-year reign.
The celebrations marking Her Majesty’s seventy years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth will culminate in a four-day UK Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday 2-Sunday 5 June.
local businesses and residents in and around Abingdon can look forward to four days of celebrations to be held in Rye Farm Meadow, from Wednesday 1 June until Saturday 4 June, ending with the traditional Abingdon bun throw on Sunday in the Market Place.
There will be events for all ages, bringing the entire Abingdon community together after what has been a difficult few years for us all. Organisers of the Abingdon celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee are inviting local businesses and organisations to support the programme of week-long entertainment. Local dance and drama groups will perform, there will be local bands, a comedy night, and a funfair for the kids, with plenty of delicious food and drink to enjoy along the way.
The location for the week of celebrations will be Abingdon’s tranquil setting of Rye Farm Meadow with the beautiful backdrop of the River Thames, making it the perfect location to enjoy during this major summer event.
As part of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, two lasting initiatives have already been launched: The Queen’s Green Canopy and the Platinum Pudding competition. Both will provide a lasting legacy of this important event.
The Platinum Pudding competition has challenged the nation to create a brand-new pudding dedicated to The Queen. Five finalists will be selected to face an expert judging panel which includes Dame Mary Berry, Monica Galetti from BBC Master Chef The Professionals and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan. The winning recipe will be made available to the public so that they can make a Jubilee Pudding to enjoy at the Big Jubilee lunches and for many years to come.
The Queen’s Green Canopy, an initiative launched in May 2021, is a unique tree-planting scheme inviting people across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’. By helping to increase and protect the native tree cover of the UK, this special gift for the Queen will provide an historic legacy in her honour. Abingdon Town Council will be planting a large number of trees this year and will start work on a community woodland for residents to enjoy.
This year’s Queen’s Birthday Parade (Trooping of the Colour) on 2 June 2022, will be particularly poignant. A parade of over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will take part in a parade starting from Buckingham Palace, moving down The Mall to Horse Guard’s Parade where Members of the Royal Family will join the procession on horseback and in carriages. The Queen and Members of the Royal Family will watch the closure of the Parade as the RAF conduct their traditional fly-past.
In addition to a Service of Thanks giving at St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday 4 June, The Queen and Members of the Royal Family will also attend the Derby at Epsom Downs the same day. Later, there will be a star-studded live concert broadcast by the BBC from Buckingham Palace; bringing together some of the world’s most successful entertainment stars, who will be celebrating some special moments from The Queen’s seventy years on the throne.
No one does street parties and Jubilee celebrations better than the British public and The Big Jubilee Lunch on Sunday 5 June, will enable communities to come together in the spirit of fun and friendship, bringing the Jubilee celebrations in the heart of every community, including Abingdon.
To find out what is going on in Abingdon over the Jubilee Celebrations week please visit abingdon.gov.uk/platinum-jubilee-2022 which will be updated regularly as plans for the celebrations develop.
