THE big weekend is here – Reading is ready to celebrate 70 years of the Queen reigning over us.
Over the coming four days, the town is set to party like never before, with concerts, street parties, special events and gatherings round the clock.
It’s all to mark the Platinum Jubilee, and the festivities launch in spectacular fashion tomorrow evening with a beacon lighting ceremony in the Abbey Ruins.
Reading Scottish Pipe Band and Reading Male Voice Choir will help lead the festivities under the stars in the special ticket-only gathering. The highlight will be the lighting of the beacon, one of 1,500 across the country.
It will also be available to watch virtually.
Jubilee Friday will see the Abbey Ruins play host to a pop concert featuring acts from across the Queen’s reign including tributes to the band Queen, The Beatles and George Michael. It starts from 4.30pm and continues until late.
There will be DJs, entertainers, street food stalls, and the opportunity to purchase craft beers and cocktails.
Reading Water Fest is the main event on Saturday, taking place from 11am to 5pm in the Forbury Gardens, Abbey Ruins, along the Kennet and by the Riverside Museum. There will be live entertainment, children’s activities and refreshments.
Sunday is street party day. There will be 57 of them taking place in Reading itself, as residents come together for the nation’s biggest party.
For those who want to get together, there will be a special event organised by Churches Together in Caversham and Reading. Taking place in Christchurch Meadows between noon and 4pm. The Bishop of Reading will speak at a short service at 2.30pm, with music from the Reading Central Salvation Army Band, and there will be the chance to bring a picnic, play games and meet people from across the town. A marquee will be available to shelter from rain and sun.
Organisers say everyone is welcome to this special event.
And from 3pm, the sound of music will be heard in Forbury Gardens as Trinity Concert Band hold a children’s concert, bringing to an end this year’s Children’s Festival.
There’s more fun too, as Christchurch Meadows Paddling Pool has opened for the summer, while libraries, arts centres, museums, pubs, cafes, and shops are all hosting special events for the jubilee. Broad St Mall will have a musical performance every day, while The Oracle will screen jubilee events on its big screens on the Riverside, where there will be a mojito beach bar.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said: “It’s going to be a fantastic weekend for Reading, and for the whole country.
“We’ve got so many street parties across the borough, and we’re also celebrating 200 years of Huntley and Palmers with our Biscuit Town events.”
One of the big highlights for Cllr Barnett-Ward is Water Fest.
“It’s a free event,” she said. “There’s loads of different stalls and things to get involved in.
“Also, the Forbury Gardens concert for children on the Sunday is going to be wonderful.”
Reading Borough Council waived fees for road closures to make it easy for residents to organise street parties over the jubilee weekend.
“It’s brilliant,” Cllr Barnett-Ward said over plans for the 57 street parties – the largest ever amount recorded by the council in recent years.
“We’ve been able to support residents by helping them with road closures.
“We’ve all been shut in our homes for so long over the last couple of years that it’s more important that ever that we get out, spend time with our neighbours and celebrate.”
For more on WaterFest, log on to: reading.gov.uk/waterfest
