In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee (70 years of service), having acceded to the throne in February 1952.
An extended bank holiday, from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June, will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate the historic milestone.
The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen's 70 years of service.
Events
Over the extended bank holiday weekend, celebrations to be held in St Helens Borough include:
Wednesday 1 June
A Jubilee-themed tea dance for senior citizens, organised by an external provider, in St Helens Town Hall.
Thursday 2 June
Beacon Lighting Taylor Park - 9.15pm Join us for a short service including live music and readings before lighting the beacon at 9.45pm.
Billinge Hill The Beacon at Billinge Hill will be lit at 9.45pm. You can watch the beacon being lit from Bankes Park.
Friday 3 June
Service of Thanksgiving at St Helens Parish Church - 3pm Bishop Beverly Mason will lead a service of thanksgiving looking back at all that has happened in St Helens throughout the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Earlestown Market Family Fun Day - 11am-2pm Including balloon modelling, arts and crafts, storytelling, face painting and puppet shows.
Saturday 4 June
Earlestown Market Family Fun Day - 11am-3pm Including balloon modelling, arts and crafts, storytelling, face painting and appearances from a 'Royal' Baby.
Wonder Arts Family Jubilee Event, St Helens Town Centre - 11am-3pm Come and join Wonder Arts for a family fun event featuring theatre performances and art installations to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Sunday 5 June
Big Jubilee Lunch/Thank You Day Get together with your neighbours, friends and family to celebrate your connections and get to know each other a little better in the name of Her Majesty, whether it's over a cup of tea with a neighbour or a full street party. It's also the perfect chance to say thank you to those who make a difference in your community.
Alongside these events St Helens Library Service have a programme of activities(PDF)[232KB] taking place in libraries across the borough for all ages to enjoy, such as arts and crafts, family picnics, quizzes, and creative writing competitions.
St Helens Archive Service will tour a pop-up exhibition, featuring recently digitised images of Queen Elizabeth on her various visits to St Helens. Her Majesty visited the borough three times: once in 1954 as part of her Coronation tour, again in 1961 as the first outside guest to view the new float glass process at Pilkington Glass and thirdly in 1977 as part of her Silver Jubilee tour.
The exhibition can be seen at each Royal Tea Party at various borough libraries, the Service of Thanksgiving at St Helens Parish Church and from 6-18 June at Parr Library.
Street parties
We've received a great response from residents enquiring about free road closures for street parties. The deadline has now passed and we can no longer accept applications.
But there are alternative community event options, such as 'street meets', which provide fun opportunities for neighbours to join together to share in the celebrations. Read guidance on how to hold a street party without closing your road.
