South Hams Jubilee Events
South Hams Jubilee Celebrations: What’s On
The South Hams is gearing up for a smorgasbord of Platinum Jubilee celebrations. From picnics in the park and street parties to beacon lighting and busking, our towns and villages will be in full throng during this four-day long weekend. Here’s a list of some of the Jubilee events happening in South Devon.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations: Thursday 2nd – Sunday 5th June
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Dartmouth & Kingswear
Often referred to as the “Jewel of the South Hams”, there’s a long list of events set to take place both in Dartmouth and across the sparkling harbour waters in Kingswear. Royal visits are nothing new for this flamboyant port, home of the Britannia Royal Naval College.
Thursday 2nd June 2022
Celebrations begin in Dartmouth on Thursday morning, with a group walk and talk around the Diamond Jubilee Way, followed by an arts fair at the Flavel Arts Centre. Then comes the procession along the Embankment culminating in an opening ceremony at Royal Avenue Gardens, a street party and afternoon tea and a ribbon cutting to celebrate the town’s newly planted orchard trees. The evening’s entertainment includes a silent disco and torchlit procession around Dartmouth’s famous Elizabethan streets. In Kingswear, the local town crier will read the National Proclamation on the village hall steps in the early afternoon followed in the evening by a beacon lighting ceremony at Feather Down Fountain Violet Farm accompanied by a piper.
Friday 3rd June 2022
Friday’s events include Dartmouth’s all day Jubilee Market on the historic Market Square, music and entertainment in Royal Avenue Gardens, a celebratory choir service hosted by St Saviour’s Church, Anzac Street. Tickets are available for an evening paddle steamer trip, embarking from the jetty and with live music onboard, while the naval college will be lit up after dark. In Kingswear, there will be a live stream of St Paul’s Cathedral Service of Thanksgiving at the village hall, along with cream teas and Prosecco.
Saturday 4th June 2022
Dartmouth’s Jubilee Market runs into Saturday, proceeded by an evening of Asian Fusion food and music from 7pm. There’s more music in the Royal Avenue Gardens and refreshments at the tea hut. Britannia Royal Naval College will steal the show late into the evening with live bands, bar, BBQ and a firework display (tickets available from the Guildhall). Kingswear Village Hall is hosting a senior citizens Queen’s Tea Party with “old-time” music and sing-a-longs.
Sunday 5th June 2022
Dartmouth’s Coronation Park and Kingswear’s Jubilee Park are the centre of attention on Sunday. Both will be hosting Big Jubilee Picnics, Dartmouth’s set to include children’s entertainers, Morris Men, walking rugby and bouncy play, plus more music and entertainment at the Royal Avenue Gardens, while over the harbour waters in Kingswear they’ll also be the same entertainers plus face painting, a dog show and fancy dress.
Kingsbridge
The historic market town of Kingsbridge, in the heart of the South Hams, also has an exciting line-up of community events across the extended weekend. 20 of the town’s gardens will be opening their gateways to the public on 4th and 5th June for Kingsbridge’s Platinum Jubilee Open Gardens weekend. It’s a rare opportunity to walk among some of the town’s most enchanting green spaces while helping to raise funds for St Luke’s Hospice and Kingsbridge Community Garden. Maps are available in advance and on the day from Kingsbridge Tourist Information Centre or Kingsbridge Community Garden found near the top of Fore Street.
Saturday 4th June 2022
4th June is the date for the Kingsbridge Big Busk, five sites in town; The Anchor Centre on Bridge Street, The Bandstand on the Town Square, Peacocks Boulevard, Kings Passage off Fore Street and Tesco’s canopy stage. You can expect to see and hear live music, street dance, theatre, jugglers and street art, plus a lively reception and festival atmosphere at the town’s pubs. All money made from the busking will go to help Kingsbridge Foodbank.
Sunday 5th June 2022
Only a mile from Kingsbridge, the picturesque village of Churchstow will be hosting a street party on 5th June with musical performances, a cake baking competition, pig racing and a fancy-dress contest.
Totnes
The ancient market town of Totnes will be setting the horizon ablaze with the lighting of the parish beacon on top of Kingsbridge Hill which is set to be a spectacular sight, particularly from across the river from the neighbouring hills of Bridgetown. The Jubilee lighting ceremony will take place on Thursday 2nd June at 9.45pm. South Devon Railway will be hosting a garden party and beer festival over the weekend while Bridgetown’s St John’s Church is staging a cream tea and arts and craft exhibition between 2-4pm on June 3rd.
Stoke Fleming
The coastal village of Stoke Fleming is preparing for four days of community fun starting with bell ringing and a lantern procession on 2nd June and the lighting of the village’s beacon at the top of Mill Lane. Friday sees a Thanksgiving Service and vintage tea party at the Green Dragon pub followed by Saturday’s community party at the Stoke Fleming Recreation Ground which will include a bar, hog roast and live streaming from Buckingham Palace. Sunday sees live music and dancing coming to the park for a 1950s-style picnic and more live streaming of the palace’s celebrations.
South Pool
The idyllic creekside village of South Pool will also be joining in with the fun, kicking-off the long weekend with a Thursday hog roast and beacon lighting ceremony at Wilton Farm followed by Sunday’s bell ringing, Jubilee communion and village dance.
Thurlestone
It’s Jubilee fun for all the family at the village of Thurlestone. Travel down the wildflower lanes past the rose gardens and thatched cottages to the village hall for a Pimms party full of games, including a human fruit machine! Expect lots of stalls and tempting treats. On Sunday, the parishes of Bantham, Buckland and Thurlestone will come together for a Jubilee Street party from midday onwards in the heart of the village with live music and children’s entertainment. The Thurlestone Hotel will be serving afternoon tea while the judges decide on the results of the baking competition.
Malborough
The hilltop village of Malborough, nestled in the sleepy pastures between Salcombe and Kingsbridge, has a reputation for lively shindigs so a long-awaited Platinum Jubilee provides the perfect excuse. Join the locals at the The Old Inn on Higher Town for a four-day hiatus of live music, a fish ‘n’ chip night and sizzling BBQs. They’ll also be a service of celebration at St Peters & All Saints Church, from 2:30pm on Saturday.
East Allington
Surrounded by rolling fields and ancient woodland, the South Devon village of East Allington is known for its quiet, honeysuckle streets and charming cul-de-sacs. The village pub, The Fortescue Arms, remains the hub for the community, opening on Jubilee Thursday for an evening of live music which makes way for a candlelit procession, beacon lighting and fireworks. Friday shapes up with a bake-off style cake competition and craft afternoon, afternoon tea and coffee at the village hall before “A Right Royal Pub Quiz”. It’s street party time on Saturday proceeded by an open mic night at The Fortescue. There’s no room for hangovers on Sunday, St Andrews Church will be hosting its songs of praise before the village’s 1950s-themed party in the park and sports day. You’re invited to bring a picnic, throw down a blanket and enjoy the fun.
Soar Mill Cove
Settings don’t come more spectacular than the lawns of the Soar Mill Cove Hotel which will be laying on a Jubilee Garden Party with live jazz music, garden games, glasses of bubbly, and Devonshire cream teas. Tickets cost £21 and can be reserved by contacting the hotel’s “royal” hotline 01548 561566.
East Prawle
The legendry Pigs Nose Inn and the village green will be the focal point for East Prawle’s family fun weekend. Expect swing boats, boat rides, a coconut shie and live music at one of the South Ham’s most popular pub venues.
Sparkwell
The moorland village of Sparkwell is planning a platinum picnic on Sunday 5th June at the Parish Hall and Playing Fields. You’re invited to come and join the celebrations between 2pm and 5pm. Bring your picnic and enjoy the afternoon’s entertainment.
Ivybridge
The South Hams town of Ivybridge is readying itself for a bumper weekend of community celebrations. Front and centre will be the town’s rugby club which will be hosting a street party on Thursday June 2nd. That’s a warmup to the town’s big bash happening on Fore Street and Glanvilles Mill on Saturday 4th June. Local Hostelry, The Sportsman’s Inn, has invited along a jazz quartet and are setting up a Pimms Stall and BBQ plus traditional garden games.
We hope you all have a sparkling Jubilee weekend!