How Northern Ireland is marking Queen's platinum jubilee
This week four days of celebrations kick off across the UK to mark the Queen's platinum jubilee.
There are thousands of events taking place right across the UK from June 2 to June 5.
To find out what is happening near you, the official Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 website gives a map of local events that allows you to search for activities near you.
Click this link to find out where events are taking place near you.
Hundreds of Big Jubilee Lunches are taking place across Northern Ireland. Find your local event on the interactive map.
What councils have plannedEvents listed by councils
Belfast
A beacon will be lit outside the Titanic Belfast building to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at 9.45pm on Thursday June 2. On Friday June 3 from 12 Belfast City Hall will host a seniors' tea dance. There will be music, dancing and entertainment, as well as light refreshments. The event, however, has been fully booked.
On Saturday 4 June, 2 Royal Avenue will be transformed into 1950s Belfast allowing visitors to take a step back in time and get a flavour of life in the city 70 years ago.
The event will showcase some of the city’s best local talent through photography, film, fashion, song and storytelling, taking a creative look at people’s lives in Belfast in 1952. There will be intergenerational workshops and storytelling events, live music performances, a photography exhibition and film screenings. The venue’s café menu will be adapted to reflect popular foods and dishes from the time.
City Hall will be illuminated purple on Sunday. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
Thursday June 2, will see the lighting of beacons to kick off the celebrations from 9.30pm. They will be at: Loanends Primary School, Antrim Castle Gardens – Motte, Ballyclare – The Town Hall, Dunsilly – The Viaduct Randalstown, Glengormley - Lilian Bland Park, Macedon – Macedon Point Hazelbank Park, Threemilewater – Mossley Mill (beside pond)
On Saturday, June 4, from 6pm to 10.30pm Antrim Castle Gardens and Loughshore Park hosts Platinum Party at the Park, hosted by Claire McCollum at Antrim and Stuart Robinson at Jordanstown Loughshore Park. The event is park of a UK-wide concert. Tickets can be bought here.
Big Jubilee lunch will take place on Sunday, June 5 from 1pm at Wallace Park Templepatrick, Lough Shore Park Antrim, Sixmilewater River Park, Neillsbrook Community Centre, Lilian Bland Community Park Glengormley, Hazelbank Park and Jordanstown Loughshore Park.
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Beacons lit at three locations from 9.30pm on Thursday, June 2. They will be at: Conway Square, Newtownards, The Castle, Bangor and Burr Point, Ballyhalbert.
Ballyhalbert and Bangor ceremonies start at 9.30pm. A piper will play ‘Dui Regnare’ before the beacons are lit at 9.45pm, followed by closing performances of ‘Song for the Commonwealth’ by Donaghadee Community Choir in Ballyhalbert and Bangor Ladies Choir in Bangor. In Newtownards, the Soda Popz ‘50s Duo will entertain the crowds from 8.30pm at Conway Square. The ceremony starts at 9.30pm and pipers will play, followed by a bugle call before the lighting of the beacon at 9.45pm. Ards Choral Society will bring an end to proceedings with their performance of ‘Song for the Commonwealth’.
There is also a jubilee beacon trail at Comber, Donaghadee, Holywood, Newtownards and Bangor. For details click here.
On Saturday and Sunday this year’s Sea Bangor will reflect and celebrate the seven decades of the Queen’s reign. Quay Street car park will host a range of activities for all the family, celebrating the food, music and dance of the eras.
Visitors will step back in time as the area is transformed with a seaside holiday atmosphere to include beach huts, vintage fun fair rides and a ballroom featuring music and dance from each of the decades. Along the Eisenhower Pier a demo kitchen will feature chefs from each of the decades. Serving up iconic recipes, including Coronation Chicken, the Chefs will recreate the classics of their era and will also feature ‘Desert Island Discs’, with their favourite music from the time. Food and drink stalls will line the Pier with seating areas encouraging visitors to sit and enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Also on Eisenhower Pier, visitors will find The Jubilee Jukebox - an exciting live interactive theatre production.
This takes place from 10am to 6pm on the Saturday and from noon to 6pm on Sunday.
North Down Museum will also host an exhibition until the end of July.
Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
A service of thanksgiving will be held in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh on 2 June at 8pm. The service which is open to all members of the community and will be followed by the Lighting of the Beacons.
At 9.30pm ceremonial beacons will be lit at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Banbridge Civic Centre and South Lake Leisure Centre Craigavon, accompanied by a lone piper playing ‘Dui Regnare’ a musical piece written to mark the Jubilee.
On 4 June the activities begin with the Seven Decades Pageant at Brownlow House, Lurgan from 4pm-6.30pm. The event features a wide range of fun activities for children and families, including a performance by Flash Harry, Northern Ireland’s beloved Queen tribute band, celebrating the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen over the past 25 years, accompanied by a selection of amusements, creative art workshops, circus entertainers and walk-about performers. Audience members will be transported back through the decades viewing a living costume display representing family life throughout the past 70 years.
The celebrations will continue on Saturday with The Platinum Party in the Park at 8pm in the beautiful setting of Lurgan Park. Visitors can watch Platinum Party at the Palace live from Buckingham Palace on a 40-metre squared LED screen and are invited to bring along a picnic or enjoy the hot food, tea and coffee offerings on site.
All events are free, however, tickets are required for entry to Saturday’s events. To register for tickets visit www.maywe.eventbrite.co.uk.
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Beacons will be lit in:
Ballycastle – Holy Trinity Church grounds with refreshments in Ramoan Parish Centre from 8pm and performances from Ramoan Church Choir from 9.15pm. Ballymoney – Townhead Street Car Park with refreshments in the Royal British Legion from 8.30pm. Coleraine – The Diamond with entertainment by the Coleraine Community Choir from 9pm. Limavady – Drumceatt Square with entertainment from the Roe Valley Singers from 9pm.
Coleraine Town Hall hosts the Community and Crown exhibition until the end of August.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
Proclamation of Beacon Lighting at Enniskillen Courthouse on Wednesday, June 1 at 2pm. Platinum Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving and beacon lighting at St Macartin’s Cathedral and Enniskillen Castle, Enniskillen at Thursday 2 June at 8.30pm.
Family Fun Day and Armed Forces Display at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Enniskillen on Saturday 4 June, 10am to 4pm.
The Big Jubilee Lunch at Enniskillen Castle, Enniskillen on Sunday 5th June 11am – 5pm.
Platinum Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving and Civic Parade at St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen on Sunday 5th June, 11am Hosted by The Royal British Legion (Enniskillen Branch).
Enniskillen Castle will be illuminated purple by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council on Thursday 2 June and two beams of light will project over the Castle from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5th June.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
On Wednesday, June 1 a thanksgiving church service will be held at Lisburn City Centre Ministers’ Fellowship. It will also be live streamed on the council's Facebook page. It starts at 3pm.
Lisburn Civic Headquarters and also the Union Bridge and Castle Gardens will to be lit up purple – the Jubilee colour - from Thursday 2 June until Sunday 5 June.
On Thursday 2 June, Royal Hillsborough will be the centre of festivities. The council and 38 Irish Brigade host a Royal Gun Salute and Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal Parade at Hillsborough Castle. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon will be lit at Hillsborough Fort in the presence of the Fort Guard later that day. On Saturday 5 June the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum will be hosting special screenings of ‘A Royal Occasion’.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will be celebrating the Platinum Jubilee with events across the Borough in June.
June 2 at 2pm, town criers will announce the official proclamation of the Platinum Jubilee events at Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne and that evening beacons will be lit in the three towns to join those in a chain of celebration across the UK. Entertainments will lead up to the beacon lightings, expected to be at 9.45pm.
June 4 Platinum parties will be held in the towns featuring local musical and entertainment talent ahead of the televising on large screens of the Buckingham Palace concert.
June 5 St Patrick’s Church in Ballymena will hold an afternoon civic service to reflect on the Queen's service.
BallymenaJune 2 from 7.45pm to 10pm at The People's Park, Ballymena7.45pm - 9pm Children's Entertainment8pm The Maine Weavers9pm Arran School of Dance9.20pm Words from the Mayor9.25pm Poem fit for a Queen9.30pm Arran School of Dance9.35pm Piper – Diu Regnare9.40pm Bugler – Majesty - Royal Irish9.45pm Lighting of the Beacon9.45pm - 10pm Piper ends the evening
June 4 from 6pm to 10pm at The People's Park, Ballymena6pm Ballymena Chamber Orchestra7pm - 8pm Children's Entertainment7.45pm Words from the Mayor7.50pm Poem fit for a Queen7.55pm Pipers8pm Televised concert10pm Close of concert
CarrickfergusJune 2 from 11am to 2pm starting at Carrickfergus Castle a day of family fun.
June 2 from 7.45pm to 10pm at Castle Green, Carrickfergus 7.45pm - 9pm Children's Entertainment7.45pm - 8pm Inglesby’s Fife and Drum8pm - 8.45pm Star of Knockagh Accordion Band8.45pm - 9pm Sir Henry Inglesby’s Fife and Drum9pm Words from the Mayor /Representative9.10pm Poems fit for a Queen9.35pm Piper – Diu Regnare9.40pm Bugler – Majesty - Morris Cameron9.45pm Lighting of the Beacon9.45pm - 10pm Piper ends the evening
June 4 from 4pm to 10pm at Shaftesbury Park, Carrickfergus4pm - 5pm 3rd Carrick Silver4pm - 6pm Children's Entertainment5pm - 5.45pm Cake Fit for a Queen baking competition5pm - 6pm The Corgi Convention (By Doggy Command) – bring your corgis (and other dogs) for an organised history walk of Carrickfergus town centre5pm - 6pm History tour – George McGrand5pm Sir Henry Inglesby’s Fife and Drum5.15pm Studio 86 Dancers5.30pm - 6.30pm Bubble Trouble6.15pm Tartan Riot7.15pm Words from the Mayor7.20pm Poems fit for a Queen – local entrants from the competition8pm Televised concert10pm Close of concert
LarneJune 2 at 2pm at Broadway, LarneTown Criers proclaim the Jubilee
June 2 from 7pm to 10pm at Larne Town Park7pm - 8pm Carnival Promotions Magic Show and Bubblemania8pm Magheramorne Silver Band8pm – 9pm Juggler9pm Words from the Mayor or HMLL/Representative9.10pm Poem fit for a Queen9.15pm – Tim Johnston9.35pm Piper – Diu Regnare9.40pm Bugler – Majesty – MSB9.45pm Lighting of the Beacon9.45pm-10pm Piper ends the evening
June 4 from 5pm to 10pm at Larne Market Yard5pm - 7pm Children's Entertainment5pm - 5.45pm Billy Teare5.45pm - 6.15pm Ami Ogilby Flautist & Lisa Dawson singer6.15pm - 6.45pm Lisa Dempsey School of Dance6.45pm Zolene and the ALS Band7.45pm Words from the Mayor7.55pm Poem fit for a Queen8pm Televised concert10pm Close of concert
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