With the Coronation just two weeks away preparations are reaching fever pitch.
The official logo has been attached to lampposts, flags have been dangled across high streets, thousands of street parties are praying for good weather and numerous chain stores are attempting to gain your custom. If you're in London there may not be much happening round your way but you only have to step outside the capital to see provincial towns taking it seriously. This is the centre of Rickmansworth, for example.
If DIY's not your thing, capitalism has got it its act together with all kinds of souvenirs and merchandise available to purchase in a shop near you. WH Smith is going all out to capture the Coronation market with such delights as a Coronation A5 pad, a Coronation ball pen, a Coronation board game, a 4-pack of gold crowns, Coronation eraser toppers, Coronation cupcake cases, various Carolean books, a 61 Piece Party Box and a half-price King Bear. Almost as OTT in their window displays are Ryman with red, white and blue products including tote bags, tablecloths, jigsaws, three-tier cupcake stands, personalisable water bottles, coasters, napkins and paper straws, because they know this is what the mainstream UK consumer wants.
Tesco have punted on paper plates, Coronation cushions, doggy-themed mugs, tea towels, cake stands, picnic blankets and £12 teapots, plus Clubcard deals on gin, pork sausages and Pringles. Meanwhile Iceland's Coronation Essentials range includes Coronation Chicken sandwich filler, Coronation Chicken pasta, limited edition Coronation Pimms, Coronation paper cups and prominent linkage to the official Spotify Coronation playlist. It's perhaps hard to imagine the British public embracing the full range of commercial opportunities during a cost of living crisis, but the last Coronation was in 1953 which was pretty much peak austerity and yet families still hoard their commemorative Coronation mugs and teaspoons to this day.
A Coronation is a once-in-a-generation event, or this time more like once-in-three generations, so how is your local council planning on celebrating it? I've ploughed through 33 borough websites to assemble this clickable list, and tried to outline the major events going on in each. I haven't listed street parties or Big Lunches, only the major stuff, which means some boroughs appear to be penny-pinching lacklustre republicans. Hopefully my bespoke Crown Ratings will help guide you towards the good stuff, if indeed there is any.
♔♔♔ Barking and Dagenham (Sat 6th, 11-5): Free event in Valence Park including a Royal Treasure Hunt, Visit Barkingham Palace, Ride the Royal Rail, The Royal Cress Workshop and a Chas & Dave tribute. Honest.
♔♔♔ Barnet (Mon 8th, 1-9): Free event in Golders Hill Park including "Food and drinks stalls/Live music/Family funfair".
♔ Bexley: Several local events but no big council shindig.
• Brent: Facilitating, not organising.
♔♔ Bromley (Sat 6th): Watch the coronation in Queens Gardens (exact details unfinalised). Also the Mayor will judge a Best Decorated Shop competition.
♔ Camden: "Camden is planning a community event for residents to get involved in and will be announcing times and location ahead of the Coronation weekend."
♔♔ City of London: A few local BIDs are doing stuff, including a Big Lunch in Aldgate Square on Sun 7th.
• Croydon: Facilitating, not organising.
♔♔♔ Ealing (Sat 6th): A free all-day ticketed event in Walpole Park, or unticketed action in Acton Park and Northala Fields.
♔ Enfield (from Fri 5th): Artefacts from the Museum of Enfield collection will be displayed at Dugdale Arts Centre.
♔♔ Greenwich (Sat 6th, 10-4): A ticketed big-screen event in General Gordon Square, Woolwich (already sold out).
• Hackney: Facilitating, not organising.
♔♔♔ Hammersmith and Fulham: A Party/Market in Lyric Square (Sat 6th, 10-4) and picnics in Bishops Park and Ravenscourt Park (Sun 7th, 12-10).
• Haringey: Facilitating, not organising.
♔ Harrow (Fri 5th): Children from local schools will parade along St Anns Road dressed as Kings and Queens.
♔♔ Havering (Sun 7th): A Community Concert and Picnic at Raphael Park (most performers schoolchildren).
♔♔ Hillingdon (Sun 7th): The Mayor's Coronation Picnic in the Park at Fassnidge Park will feature vintage tunes from the Candy Girls.
• Hounslow: Facilitating, not organising.
• Islington: Facilitating, not organising.
♔♔ Kensington and Chelsea (Sat 6th, 1-3): Screening the main event in Holland Park accompanied by jugglers and face-painting.
♔♔♔ Kingston upon Thames (Sun 7th, 2.45-4): A Coronation Parade in the Ancient Market Place (but they're pretending the year is 925 and the king being crowned is Athelstan because that happened here).
• Lambeth: Facilitating, not organising.
♔ Lewisham (Sat 6th, 2-3): Lewisham Concert Band will perform at Mountsfield Park Bandstand (but mainly the only events are in libraries).
• Merton: Facilitating, not organising.
♔ Newham: Library events and a Tuesday tea dance, but all quite low-key.
♔ Redbridge (Sat 6th, 12-5): The inllford Coronation Celebration in the town centre focuses around a Redbridge's Got Talent Competition.
• Richmond upon Thames: Facilitating, not organising.
• Southwark: Facilitating, not organising.
♔ Sutton (Sat 6th, Sun 7th): At Honeywood museum, see mascot Millie the Mouse in her very special coronation costume (but if you're not a child not much is going on in Sutton).
• Tower Hamlets: King Charles III Coronation events? There are no results that match your criteria.
♔ Waltham Forest (Sat 6th, Sun 7th): "A packed weekend of activities at Fellowship Square", it says here, but not really.
♔ Wandsworth (Sat 6th): A big screen in Battersea Park plus a Make Your Own Crown craft workshop.
♔♔♔♔♔ Westminster (Sat 6th): Hosting the actual Coronation.
