Communities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee
Communities across the Calendar region say they are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with hundreds of street parties and large public events planned.
The ITV Calendar News team would love to see your pictures and videos from Jubilee events happening where you are. Contact us to submit your footage throughout the weekend, and we look forward to sharing it on this page alongside our own coverage.
Platinum Jubilee beacons lit around the region
The Jubilee in South Yorkshire
Thousands held street parties across the region on the third day of the bumper Platinum Jubilee weekend. In Sheffield, it was a chance for diverse communities to come together as the city's Somali Community Association organised a special event that also celebrated their cultural heritage.
In Barnsley, a 20 tonne sand sculpture inspired by the lion statue that stands in front of Buckingham Palace has been created in the town.
The sand art has been created over five days by Yorkshire sculptors Sand in Your Eye. Family sand workshops are also taking place in The Glass Works Square as part of a programme of cultural events.
Sheffield’s Norfolk Heritage Park was transformed for a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Show on Thursday, with entertainment including live music, a 1950s fancy dress competition and circus performances.
There are also activities and parades throughout the city centre, along with a giant screen to show the Queen's Party at the Palace on Saturday. Sheffield landmarks across the city, including the Town Hall, City Hall, and Peace Gardens have been decked out with bunting.
The leader of Sheffield City Council, Cllr Terry Fox, said: "This is a historic moment for our country and for HM the Queen. Reigning for 70 years is an incredible achievement. In Sheffield, we look forward to celebrating this unprecedented Jubilee in style together right across the city, from the show in Norfolk Park, the city centre celebrations and the Food Festival to Big Jubilee lunches and street parties. I for one will be enjoying the extra bank holiday day this year and I'm sure we will all appreciate it, to take the opportunity to enjoy one or all of the events and celebrations on offer with our families and in our communities."
Connor Robinson and Darcy Robinson from Sheffield Sea Cadets speak to ITV Calendar of their pride at being involved in the city's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The Jubilee in West Yorkshire
Veteran fundraiser Jeffrey Long MBE has completed his latest charity walk.
The former paratrooper who has cancer and comes from Bingley, began his series of walks for his 96 mile challenge in April - all to mark the Queen's 96th birthday and the Platinum Jubilee. Over the last 14 years he has raised more than £300,000 for dementia charities.
Magpies charity in Halifax, which supports adults with learning disabilities, has been busy creating decorations to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. Members have created a royal carriage.
In Leeds, a Jubilee beacon was lit in Millennium Square. Coinciding with the main beacon lighting in the city centre, further beacons were lit at Horsforth Hall Park, Farsley, Linton Memorial Hall, Thorner, Otley, and Kippax.Kirkgate market hosted a children’s lunch with the Lord Mayor, and it will also offer free Jubilee-themed children’s crafts in the Market Kitchen. Victoria Gardens, Headrow, will host a free street gallery photography exhibition showcasing over 70 years of achievement throughout the Queen's reign. The exhibition will feature more than 120 images and has been curated by street gallery experts. Street parties have also been organised in some of the city’s key nightlife and leisure hotspots, including the newly pedestrianised New Briggate, Call Lane, Merrion Street, Lower Briggate, Greek Street and the recently opened Cookridge Street public space.The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Robert Gettings, said: “It is a great honour to participate in such a storied tradition as a Civic beacon lighting.“It’s also great to see how the people of Leeds are coming together to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in such a wide variety of ways. I’m sure everyone will make the most of the events and activities and have an amazing extended bank holiday weekend.”
In Bradford, hundreds attended the Great Jubilee Tea in City Park, which aims to have the biggest free cake stall in the north.
Bradford Council is holding five family fun events in parks across the district between from Thursday until Sunday. There are events from 11am to 3pm in Cliffe Castle Park in Keighley on Thursday, Wibsey Park on Friday, Lister Park in Manningham on Saturday and in Roberts Park in Saltaire and Peel Park on Sunday. The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Cllr Martin Love, said: “This is a momentous event in our history with Her Majesty the Queen being the first British monarch ever to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to have fun and get together after what has been a long two years.”
Hundreds of children and women gathered for a jubilee garden party on Friday. The event happened at the Bowling Old Lane Cricket Club. The activities included circus training, crown making and games. Bradford Study Support Network, which organised the event, hopes the royal occasion will encourage closer community ties.
In Ilkley, pupils from Ghyll Royd school have created a scaled down, edible map of Great Britain to celebrate. The cake, named ‘Baked Britain’, was a passion project made by the school’s Year 5 class. The 15 children spent 187 hours preparing and making the cake.
The Rotary Club of Sowerby Bridge has put in place a commemorative stone to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
The Jubilee in North Yorkshire
The Queen has been honoured with a double royal gun salute to mark seven decades on the throne and Her Majesty's official birthday.
The 4 Regiment Royal Artillery, based near Thirsk, fired the 42 rounds at the Museum Gardens in York on Thursday.
In Ripon Market Square, there's free live music and entertainment from 11am until 11.30pm from a range of tribute acts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And in Ripon Spa Gardens on Sunday, the Ripon Community Poppy Project has organised a family picnic event, with performances from Ripon City Band, face painting, jubilee-themed crafts and a treasure hunt.
Ripon Cathedral hosted a special Platinum Jubilee tea party, with guests born in each year of the Queen's 70-year reign in attendance.
Harrogate's Valley Gardens is hosting a free family event from Thursday until Sunday, with entertainment and activities including fairground rides, magicians. face painting, a climbing wall and live music performances.
There will also be an artisan market on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Gardens' Sun Colonnade offering a selection of local produce, and crafts and plants.
Harrogate Borough Council's cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, Cllr Sam Gibbs, said: "Valley Gardens is the perfect backdrop for a four-day event to help celebrate Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
"There will be live music performances, an artisan market, children's entertainers, fairground rides, and much more. And what's even better, is that it's all free."
Across the town, part of the Stray has been transformed into Jubilee Square, with a large stage and video screens to broadcast the Queen's Birthday Parade, Platinum Party at the Palace and other royal events from central London.
Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) will also be running a dog show, live music and family-friendly films on the big screen, and street entertainers will be performing across the four days in the town centre, which are dressed with more than 5,000 metres of bunting to mark the occasion.
Buildings and landmarks have also had a royal transformation in Harrogate, with Windsor House being rebranded to 'the House of Windsor' for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
At the front of the building on the balcony area, passers-by can spot models of the royal family making a special appearance.
Property manager at Windsor House, Karen Winspear, said: “We wanted to create something to celebrate the jubilee that the businesses in our building could enjoy, as well as those who will be visiting the number of events planned at Valley Gardens.
“With a name like ours, we couldn’t resist a royal makeover to mark such a fantastic occasion."
The Jubilee in East Yorkshire
Hull’s four packed days of Jubilee events kicked off with with a 70-boat flotilla on the Humber estuary and a Battle of Britain flypast on Thursday night. Two RAF Battle of Britain Spitfires signalled the start of the Humber Platinum Jubilee Flotilla.
The vessels then set sail from Victoria Pier to the Humber Bridge. Crowds gathered on the Hessle foreshore where a gala was held to get people in the party atmosphere.
Watch: Huge crowds flock to Humber Jubilee Flotilla and fireworks spectacular
The leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross, said: “I am sure the residents of Hull will want to get involved in celebrating the milestone achieved by her majesty. Queen Elizabeth II has given 70 years of remarkable service to the country, and it is worthy of celebration.
“I know there are local community groups organising street parties for local residents to get involved with, much like the successful ones for VE day during 2020. Alongside this, there will be many larger events organised for people to see and enjoy. This is a once in a lifetime celebration and we want all of our residents to be a part of the occasion.
“Her Majesty The Queen is the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, and this extended bank holiday weekend is a great opportunity for communities across the country to come together to celebrate the historic milestone. There are so many events planned for the occasion that I am sure everyone will be able to take part.”
More events in Hull
The celebrations continue on Friday in Hull with a 1950s-style high tea at Hull Minster and stalls and a big screen in Trinity Square.
Over in Trinity Market there will be family entertainment and circus skill workshops on Friday between 11am and 3pm.
At the Fruit Market on Friday, live music and street performers will entertain the crowds.
On Saturday and Sunday, the city centre will be transformed with with a big screen in Queen Victoria Square and more performances between 11am and 11pm on Saturday, and 11am and 4pm on Sunday.
Jubilee in Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire
Patients at hospitals in Northern Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire will be able to watch the Queen's Platinum Jubilee events from their beds, thanks to a donation from both the Grimsby and Scunthorpe Hospital League of Friends.
The two voluntary organisations have come together to pay nearly £2,500 to cover bedside television costs from Thursday to Sunday for the majority of patients in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole hospitals.
Barrie Smith, a patient at Grimsby hospital, said: "I’m looking forward to watching it on television. I’ve been in hospital a while and I haven’t watched anything since I arrived. The ward looks very nice, it makes a nice change and has really brightened things up."
Elaine Hughes, a patient at Scunthorpe hospital, told us: “I think it’s a wonderful idea for patients stuck in hospital over the weekend. I’ll hopefully be discharged by then but if I was in hospital, I’d certainly be tuning in.”
Wards have also been decked out in red, white and blue thanks to the Health Tree Foundation.