With an extra day or two off work this weekend to celebrate HM
Queen Elizabeth’s 60 year reign, we’ve gathered the best that
Edinburgh has to offer in the way of Jubilee events.
First up, if you’re a
visitor to Edinburgh over this coming weekend, how about staying at
Hotel du Vin & Bistro
where you can celebrate with “A Loyal Toast”. There are two
packages on offer from £119 per room, inclusive of overnight stay,
breakfast and a glass of champagne per person. You can add a 3
course meal and a bottle of champagne from £189 per room. Bookings
are available at http://www.hotelduvin.com/ or by
calling 0845 365 4438. Quote “loyal” for the B&B package, or
“loyald” for the dinner B&B package.
Edinburgh’s Big Screen at Festival Square will be showing the
celebrations live from London across the holiday weekend and
everyone is invited! The highlight of the celebrations will be on
the evening of Monday 4th June where revellers can experience the
spectacular Diamond
Jubilee Concert, right in the heart of Edinburgh, as it happens
live from the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham
Palace. This will include performances from musicians Sir Paul
McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder and Alfie Boe - and
seating, sound and special lighting effects will be provided around
the Big Screen.
Also included in the live coverage over the weekend will be the
Diamond
Jubilee Thames Pageant on Sunday 3 June where for the first
time in 350 years a flotilla of 1000 boats will sail down the River
Thames from Battersea to Tower Bridge with The Queen leading the
floating procession in an ornately-decorated Royal barge. On
Tuesday 5 June, spectators can enjoy full, uninterrupted live
coverage of the final day of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
celebrations with a service of thanksgiving in the morning at St
Paul's Cathedral, followed by the Diamond Jubilee carriage
procession with a stunning display of pomp and pageantry in the
afternoon.
At The Queen’s official residence in Scotland, The
Palace of Holyroodhouse, visitors can join in with the Big
Jubilee Lunch. This is a nationwide event on Sunday 3rd June where
you can take along a picnic and join neighbours and visitors alike
for an afternoon of food, friendship and fun. After lunch there
will be live coverage of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant between
2pm-6pm. Throughout the day there will be family activities running
such as the chance to create your own Royal Crown Jewels and trying
on Royal clothing. And why not follow a special family activity
trail to discover what happens when The Queen stays at the Palace,
as well as learning more about past Kings and Queens? Activities
are free with standard admission to the Palace. Picnic boxes are
also available to purchase from the Café at the Palace.
At 3pm on Sunday 3rd June, one hundred guests will enjoy a
traditional British cream tea with a Scottish twist on Edinburgh’s
Royal Mile. As home to both the Palace
of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, the
Royal Mile is the ideal location for a Jubilee celebration in the
city. Guests will include pupils from the Royal Mile Primary
School, the local business community and residents of Whiteford
House (the Scottish Veterans Residence on the Canongate). Exclusive
invitations are up for grabs via The Royal Mile’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Head off the beaten track this weekend and
enjoy Edinburgh's 'best end', buzzing with independent shops, bars,
restaurants and more. The West End will be getting into the Jubilee
spirit with a 'Right Royal Knees Up', with great deals on offer
from Oddbins, the One World Shop, Ryan's Bar and The WestRoom —
plus amazing window displays at Pippin Gifts and the Designer Cake
Boutique.For further info visit the West End's Facebook page.
Alternatively, celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in truly royal
style aboard The
Royal Yacht Britannia. While The Queen and The Duke of
Edinburgh will be aboard Britannia’s Royal Barge as it leads the
Jubilee Pageant, you can be toasting Her Majesty with Britannia’s
Fizz, beer, and Jubilee inspired treats in the Yacht’s Royal Deck
Tea Room. All those visiting on June 5th will also take home a
specially commissioned Jubilee memento.
On the evening of Monday 4th June, over 4000 sites across the UK
and Commonwealth will light Jubilee Beacons. Britain has a long
history of beacon lighting spanning many hundreds of years and from
10pm onwards communities will light the flames in this latest
British celebration. There are several sites across Edinburgh and
the Lothians. For your nearest beacon, see this
interactive map.
Also on Monday 4th June, The Usher Hall will host the Academy
of Ancient Music as they play Handel’s Royal Music – fresh from
their performance accompanying the River Thames Pageant. After
becoming a newly-naturalised British subject, one of the first
things Handel composed was the Coronation Anthems to mark the
coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in 1727. This music
is still performed at royal occasions to this day and will feature
in this concert along with the Music for the Royal Fireworks and
the Water Music Suite. Tickets are still available at the time of
writing.
Or, if you prefer someone else to supply the nibbles, join the
Ghillie Dhu for a
“Royal Dhu” with all the celebrations on their screens! Their Royal
Afternoon Tea is available each day served with a celebratory glass
of fizz all for £12.95 per person! Advance bookings required. Free
live music every night and open till late.
And finally, Camera
Obscura marks The Queen’s 60th year on the throne by displaying
an extremely rare Rubins Vase. The vase was created to commemorate
The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and contains the hidden
silhouette of the profiles of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
The vase has been mounted on a moving turntable, creating the
illusion of the faces swapping places and talking to each
other.
