Details have been published of events in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens over the four-day holiday to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The free events have been organised by Harrogate Borough Council, are for all ages, and include magicians, juggling shows, fairground rides, live music performances and mini discos.
Thursday 2 June
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 12noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- 11am, 1pm and 3pm – Juggling show on the bandstand
Friday 3 June
- 10am – Harrogate Borough Mayor Councillor Victoria Oldham officially opens the event
- 10am and 1pm – Pantasy steel band (various locations)
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Artisan market, fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 11am until 12noon – Live performance from Harrogate Operatic Players, Ripon Operatic Players, Phoenix Players and St Andrew’s Players ‘songs from the shows’
- 12 noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows in various locations throughout the day
Saturday 4 June
- 10am until 1pm – Pantasy steel band in the bandstand
- 10am until 2pm – Face painting
- 10am until 6pm – Artisan market, fairground rides, climbing wall, character meet and greet
- 12 noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows in various locations throughout the day
- Magician and magic shows throughout the day in various locations
Sunday 5 June
- 10am until 4pm – Artisan market
- 10am until 4pm – Face painting
- 10am until 4pm – Character meet and greet
- 10am until 6pm – Fairground rides and climbing wall
- 11am until 12noon – Knot Another Choir live on the bandstand
- 12noon until 1pm – Children’s show and mini-disco on the bandstand
- Juggling shows throughout the day in various locations
- Magician and magic shows throughout the day in various locations
Councillor Andy Paraskos, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“Valley Gardens provides the perfect backdrop for our four day event to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
“There will be children’s entertainers, magicians, jugglers, face-painting, rides, live music performances, an artisan market and much more. There truly is something for everyone and even better, it’s all free.”
Sponsored by broadband provider Boundless Networks, the Stray Ferret has compiled a list of events across the district over the big jubilee weekend. click on the banner below for details.
Tree planting across Harrogate district this weekend to mark Queen’s jubilee
Trees will be planted this weekend in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge as part of an initiative to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
The Queen’s Green Canopy, which was created as part of celebrations for the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, which invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.
Trees will be planted in Valley Gardens and on Wetherby Road in Harrogate, at Jacob Smiths Park in Knaresborough, at High Cleugh in Ripon, at Pateley Bridge Recreation Ground and at Boroughbridge Recreation Ground on Sunday.
All but one tree at each of the locations has been planted already. The final tree ones will planted this weekend to coincide with Her Majesty’s accession day.
Harrogate borough mayor, Councillor Trevor Chapman, will unveil the ceremonial tree in Valley Gardens, Harrogate at 2pm.
The Lord Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Johanna Ropner, will join Councillor Andy Paraskos to unveil the ceremonial tree at Boroughbridge Recreation Ground at 11am.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones will join the mayor of Knaresborough, Councillor Christine Willoughby, at Jacob Smith Park in Knaresborough at 1pm.
Read more:
- Harrogate landscaping boss tells of lucky escape from falling tree
- Stray Gardener: Create a legacy and plant a tree
- 100 trees to be planted in Harrogate district for Queen’s jubilee
Cllr Eamon Parkin, the mayor of Ripon and Cllr Mike Holt, the mayor of Pateley Bridge, will plant trees in their respective locations.
Species being planted include elm, oak, hornbeam, sycamore and lime.
Individuals, town and parish councils, community groups, schools, businesses and landowners will be encouraged to plant tress during the planting season from October to March.
White Rose Forest
The Queen’s Green Canopy will coincide with the council’s plans to plant thousands of trees in Bilton Beck Wood and Willow Wood, Harrogate and Upper Horse Shoe Fields, Knaresborough as part of the White Rose Forest partnership.
The White Rose Forest is the community forest for North and West Yorkshire being created by local authorities, landowners, businesses and communities.
Councillor Andy Paraskos, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a wonderful opportunity for us to not only honour Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee but also help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.
“Similar to the White Rose Forest project, we want to encourage as many people as possible in the district to get involved to improve air quality and biodiversity.”
Sarah Wells, community manager at Bettys & Taylors Group, which has supported the scheme, said:
“Trees remain very close to our hearts at Bettys & Taylors and we are delighted to support this unique project which not only highlights the importance of climate action, but also the positive impact of community collaboration. We hope that these trees will be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area for many years to come.”
Greens step-up campaign for Stray wildflowers
Harrogate Borough Council is to publish a 10-year vision for horticulture in the district — but it’s unclear if it will include plans to grow wildflowers on the Stray.
The Harrogate and District Green Party has called for wildflowers to be planted to attract more wildlife, such as bees, and to act as a focal point for visitors.
It recently launched a petition, which has almost 600 signatures, urging the council to support this.
At last night’s full council meeting, Rebecca Maunder, chair of the Harrogate and District Green Party, asked Cllr Andy Paraskos, cabinet member for the environment, if HBC would commit to planting more bulb species as well as sowing wildflower seeds on the Stray.
Cllr Paraskos said he “absolutely” agreed with the Green Party’s sentiments on biodiversity but did not commit to any specific changes on the Stray.
He said:
“Biodiversity is not just about the Stray but across the whole district so hopefully we will see some exciting projects over the coming years.
“The Stray does not belong to us, so everything we do on the Stray is by negotiations with the Duchy, but we will continue to look at biodiversity”.
Read more:
The council held a consultation on the future of horticulture in the district this year.
Its horticulture strategy, which is yet to be approved, will detail the authority’s planting plans.
Cllr Paraskos said biodiversity “is a strong theme” of the upcoming strategy.
The council has already committed to planting 60,000 crocuses on the the Stray at West Park in the coming months.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret after the meeting, Ms Maunder said “now is the perfect” time to add a greater mix of bulbs when the Stray is replanted.
She said:
“Why not grasp this opportunity and make a significant impact?”