Visitor attractions and streets hang out bunting for jubilee parties
Red, white and blue street parties are being held this week at visitor attractions - alongside scores of community events to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Her Majesty was crowned at a grand coronation ceremony in 1953 and is the first monarch to have been on the throne for seven decades.
At West Midland Safari Park near Bewdley street parties will run every day until Sunday along with crown making workshops, a bubble machine and a conservation station. From 10.30am there will be performances by a Caribbean steel band and stilt walkers.
The park's marketing head Rochelle Zare said: “We are so excited to be holding our very own Safari Street Party in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. We know that the nation will be in a celebratory mood, so we have enlisted the help of some incredible entertainers, who will be performing at intervals throughout the day.
“Firstly, we have our amazing giraffe stilt walkers, who will be roaming gracefully around the area, interacting with guests and posing for photos. Especially for kids, our bubble maker will be creating clouds of enormous, magical bubbles and they might be even lucky enough to get inside one. All of this will be set to upbeat music with some family favourites being played by our steel band for guests to sway, dance, or even limbo along to.”
Major regional events coinciding with the jubilee include Staffordshire County Show which is back this week after the coronavirus break and incorporating a jubilee parade on Wednesday. Meanwhile Lichfield Greenhill Bower procession is back on Saturday with the crowning of the Bower Queen at midday.
Burntwood Wakes is also on Saturday at the leisure centre, in High Street, Burntwood, from midday featuring a climbing wall and cave, a petting zoo, inflatables, Punch and Judy and birds of prey.
At Dudley Zoo, in Castle Hill, a throne has been created for visitors this week to pose for photographs and on Thursday the castle courtyard will be draped in bunting with performances by entertainer Dippy the clown and activities including face painting. A beacon will also be lit at the site at an invitation-only display in the evening.
Activities at Red House Glass Cone, in High Street, Wordsley, will include a children’s book trail, face painting and a traditional ice cream seller on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Black Country Brass band will be performing from 12.30pm.
Meanwhile at least 200 roads are set to be closed to allow communities to host mini street parties over the bank holiday weekend. Among those to be closed on Friday will be Lotus Way, Rowley Regis, with guest West Midlands Deputy Lieutenant Dr Sakhawat Hussain arriving at 3pm.
Community events on Saturday in Walsall include a public fun day in Burrowes Street off A34 Green Lane from midday to 4pm featuring a barbecue, bouncy castle and cream teas. Also in Walsall the African-Caribbean Community Association, in Wolverhampton Road, is hosting lunch and activities from midday.
Burrowes Street TMO chairperson Maddy Moorcroft said: "We are delighted to work in partnership with our friends and neighbours at Green Lane Baptist Church to organise a fun, multi-cultural celebration for all ages at Burrowes Street and we're looking forward to a great celebration of the Queen's long reign."
At the Black Country Living Museum’s Bostin’ Jubilee Bash families will be taking part in parades and national anthem singing which will be run all week at the site, in Tipton Road, Dudley. Here street parties kick off at 11.30am followed by a parade at 1.30pm.
The museum's public programme head Janine Downes said: "The museum is celebrating the Platinum Jubilee in style. Visitors are invited to wear their best red, white and blue outfits to join our street party, take part in a fancy-dress parade, or grab a delicious jubilee treat to experience how communities have celebrated monarchs over the ages.
"We really want the week to have a celebratory feel."
