Morris men, drag queens and belly-dancing pensioners will be joining in more than 400 street parties across Sussex.
With scores of street parties planned in Brighton and Hove already, and with thousands of fans expected at the American Express Community Stadium for Fatboy Slim’s Big Beat Bootique gigs on the Friday and Saturday of the long weekend, the city is expecting 100,000 visitors.
Brighton and Hove City Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, said: “This is a great opportunity to celebrate 60 years of our Queen’s reign.
“I hope everyone will enjoy a memorable few days.”
Brighton and Hove City Council has had 65 applications for street parties, the most in Sussex. Horsham is Sussex’s second most vibrant district, with 51.
Measuring the number of applications per population, The Argus has found Lewes is the most enthusiastic district, with 49 applications.
Her Majesty’s representative in the county said he was “overwhelmed” by the support for the Queen.
Peter Field, the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, said: “I think the county will have a great weekend. After all it will never happen again in living memory.”
One of the county’s biggest street parties will see the centre of Steyning closed on the Sunday and 850 chairs and 150 tables laid out in High Street.
Christine Aubrey, a retired psychologist who has been organising the event, said: “There’s been a real buzz with people in the community.
“People have been asking me weeks and weeks before tickets went on sale.”
Christine, 62, has ordered skateboarders, bands, a theatre company and a bouncy castle for the Jubilee.
She said: “The Queen is amazing. I think it’s great we’re celebrating her 60 years. It might never happen again.”
Foster carer Cassandra Copping is planning a big lunch for foster children and their carers in Brighton.
Ms Copping, 45, who has been a foster carer for 16 years, said: “It will put the children in the same environment as other foster children, so they don’t feel different. So they feel exactly the same.”
Morris men will be dancing through Brighton from street party to street party.
The Brighton Morris Men and Cuckoo’s Nest Women’s Morris are planning on dancing down Southover Street and entertaining the crowds at any street parties they pass on the way.
Tots at Tykes Preschools will be attempting a regal world record on the bank holiday Monday.
The Crawley pre-school is hoping to get as many people as possible to wear a crown for ten minutes. The current record is 250.
Fidra Jewellers have been getting in the spirit with their near-perfect replicas of the crown jewels Queen Elizabeth wore for her coronation.
But the shop in Brighton’s Lanes has created the replicas out of much less valuable materials than the originals.
HIV and sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, in Brighton, hopes to raise £5,000 from Jubilee-themed T-shirts.
Fontwell Park racecourse will celebrate the Queen’s passion for horses with an exhibition at a Jubilee race day on June 3.
Visitors to Brighton Museum and the Pavilion will get a taste of the decade the Queen came to the throne.
They can learn to jive, get a retro makeover, dress up in 50s gear and see memorabilia from the age if they visit on June 2, from 1pm to 4.30pm.
Visitors will also be able to see outfits designed by British fashion icons from the Queen’s reign, including Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.
Harvey’s Brewery in Lewes has recreated a beer that was brewed for the Queen’s coronation.
Elizabethan Ale was devised in 1952 and the brewery has meticulously reproduced the original recipe, which included black malt and flaked barley.
Stuart Highwood, whose family has farmed the hops in the brew, said: “In 1952 we would have been picking by hand and drying hops in a coal-fired oast house.
“Today we have a modern, oil-fired oast and picking is largely mechanised but the same hops are grown on the same soil.”
Boats from Sussex will be joining the official flotilla along the Thames.
A fishing boat from Hastings and Rye called Roy’s Boys will be the official East Sussex boat.
The Eastbourne RNLI lifeboat, the Universities Royal Naval Unit’s HMS Ranger and several Sussex Sea Cadet units will also be setting sail to celebrate the momentous occasion.
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