A special programme of events is to take place in Kirkby Lonsdale to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.
Kirkby Lonsdale & Lune Valley CIC (Kirkby Lonsdale CIC) have organised a series of events to take place in the town over the special Bank Holiday from June 2 to June 5.
The town is putting on a five-day free event called Dancing Through The Decades, where the community will unite through music and dance in celebration of the Queen’s 70-year reign.
There will be a Jubilee Charter Market until 4pm and a beacon ceremony from 7pm on June 2; a community street party in Market Square on June 3 and June 4, as well as dance performances and workshops, also on June 4.
There will be two stages of live music; the Street Party Stage in Market Square and the Buskers Stage in Jubilee field, with local shops and the weekly market serving food and drink.
Kirkby Lonsdale CIC are also working with creative practitioner Jayne Davies to put on a programme of free dance performances and workshops with LUDUS Dance, supported by £5,000 from Cumbria Community Foundation and Arts Council England’s Let’s Create fund.
A new dance commission will be performed by Curious Dance Company at the Market Square Street Party on Saturday June 4. Dancers will parade down Main Street to St Mary’s Church where they will lead free dance demos.
Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council have contributed £1,000 to the event and organised the beacon ceremony, which will take place at Kirkby Lonsdale Playpark, where there will be live entertainment and food and drink from Devil’s Bridge Snacks and The Little Barn Bar.
The Christopher Robin’s Trust has also put £1,000 towards a new poetry commission, which will be performed for the first time at the beacon ceremony, and which has been composed and performed by local poet Matt Sowerby. There will be multiple performances over the weekend at the Market Square Street Party and at the closing ceremony at St Mary’s Church from 10.30am on Sunday June 5.
Phoebe Rodway, marketing and communications assistant at Kirkby Lonsdale CIC and co-ordinator of the programme, said: “This is a once in a lifetime celebration and it has been very exciting to watch it come to life.
“We started planning Dancing Through The Decades back in January. The best part of the project has been working with all the groups and individuals in Kirkby Lonsdale and seeing the community placed at the heart of the event.”
