Landguard celebrates Jubilee
Felixstowe’s Landguard Peninsula is preparing to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a series of events and activities for the whole family.
Until Sunday 5th June, visitors will be enlisted to help find the missing ‘royal corgis’ around Landguard Fort and Felixstowe Museum. The ten regally decorated corgis have been created by Debby Cloud, of the town’s Wool Baa knitting store, and will be dotted around two separate trails, also set to feature some familiar royal faces getting into the Jubilee spirit.
On Thursday 2nd June, Landguard Fort will host an afternoon of children’s fun from 12pm-4pm, including Punch and Judy and magic shows.
Then, from 8pm, visitors can see the lighting of the Felixstowe Beacon, followed by live music from Rachel Foskett and the Felixstowe Community Choir.
The celebrations continue with the Festival of the Sea on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June, as Landguard Fort and Felixstowe Museum host a swashbuckling weekend of pirate fun, including re-enactments and musket firing.
On Saturday, from 2pm, enjoy the colourful Parade of Boats on the Orwell Estuary, featuring a variety of vessels decorated with flags and bunting. Featuring yachts and boats of all kinds, including a variety of vessels from organisations including the Royal Navy, Trinity House, Harwich Haven Authority (HHA), Essex Marine Police and the RNLI. Convening between Essex and Suffolk, at the confluence of the rivers Stour and Orwell, the fleet will assemble near the Ganges Buoy at Shotley Spit. Weather permitting, flying flags and bunting, the parade will criss-cross the rivers exchanging waves and cheers with spectators on the shore.
The Landguard Peninsula will be one of the finest vantage points in Suffolk to view this spectacle and it is expected to be very busy, so why not travel on the 77 bus from the town centre. If driving, park in the Martello Park car park (off Langer Road) and catch the bus, or park at Manor Terrace and take a short stroll across the Nature Reserve
Stephen Rampley, Landguard Marketing and Events Co-ordinator said, “Bring the whole family to Landguard for a right royal celebration, as we mark 70 years of Her Majesty’s service.
“From corgis, Punch and Judy, and pirates, to an exciting maritime spectacle, there is something for everyone to enjoy”.
• For further information, visit discoverlandguard.org.uk