Melton prepares for four days of royal celebrations

Residents of the borough will enjoy an extended bank holiday for the event and they can enjoy a range of activities for four days, from June 2 to 5.

A public meeting has been organised on Monday at the Melton Borough Council offices, at 2.30pm for individuals and local groups interested in getting involved.

The celebrations will be marked by a fun fair, markets, exhibitions and live entertainment.

Co-ordinator of the Jubilee Group, Matthew O’Callaghan, said: “There really is something for everyone in how Melton will be celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“With a few exceptions all the events are free.

“We are holding an information meeting for organisations, etc, that want to get involved on Monday at the council offices.”

Local people are keen to mark Her Majesty’s remarkable 70 years on the throne in style, with it all kicking off at the town’s Defence Animal Training Regiment base on the Thursday with the official lighting of the Jubilee Beacon.

Throughout the weekend a Fun Fair will be operating on Play Close with rides also available on a model train.

There will be children’s and family activities Friday to Sunday) at the livestock market, including inflatables, bouncy castle, merry-go-round and stage entertainment in the Exhibition Hall. The events are timed to run from the afternoon into the evening.

Belvoir Castle is hosting a ‘Best of British’ series of activities over the long weekend, with jousting from the Knights of Nottingham, Punch and Judy shows, re-enactments, classic cars, musicians, stalls, a street party area and falconry displays.

The team at Melton Carnegie Museum, at Thorpe End, is putting together a selection of local memories and links to the ‘House of Windsor’ for an exhibition in the museum to mark the jubilee.

In the skies, a Lancaster Bomber will stage a flypast of the town on the Thursday and Friday with a Hurricane flypast on the Saturday and Sunday.

The Friday afternoon sees a community concert at the Band Stand in Play Close, followed by a street food market in the town centre through to the evening with a display of vintage cars.

The Rotary Club will host a Jubilee Party in St Mary’s Church from 7.30pm onwards on the Friday evening, with licensed bar, live music and dancing.

Saturday will feature the normal street market with the potential addition of a few more stands and the livestock market will host a ‘Makers Market’.

Sunday is the vintage and craft fair in the town centre with trade, craft and vintage stalls, Steam Punk fashions, live music and dancing, classic cars, jeeps and bikes. There will also be a dog show at the market.

Melton Bloom will be ensuring the plant holders will be looking their best for the holiday, complimented by a traditional floral arch at the council offices.

For the longer term, Melton Town Estate will be planting 700 trees with the focus of the planting of a special Jubilee Tree during the weekend.

Melton’s Royal connections will be celebrated in the inauguration of ‘Melton’s Royal Mile’ - a walk around the town commemorating the visits of the 17 monarchs who have visited the town since 1194.