Shropshire Diamond Jubilee Pageant organisers add final touches to event
Final preparations are under way for a spectacular pageant to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at RAF Cosford – with 35,000 people expected at the event on Thursday.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are due to attend as part of their Diamond Jubilee Tour, and the event will feature singing, music and a colourful procession over half a mile long, made up of 5,000 schoolchildren.
More than 35,000 people registered for free tickets, and motorists are being warned to expect some traffic congestion on the roads around RAF Cosford during the morning of Thursday 12 July.
Gates will open at 8am, and people can enter the site at any time, with activities due to start at 9am and the “Reignbow” procession taking place at 1.40pm.
The Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mr Algernon Heber-Percy, said:
“We are all very excited about the day and hope everyone will have a wonderful time. A huge amount of work has gone into organising the event and the spectacular procession, so we are all praying for good weather.
“As is customary for an English summer, we are trying to be prepared for all weathers, so please remember to bring waterproofs, sun cream and drinking water depending on the weather forecast. We have been delighted that so many people have registered for tickets to come along, and naturally with thousands of people making their way to Cosford on a weekday there will be some traffic congestion.
“Gates open at 8am, activities will be taking place all day from 9am, and the pageant procession will start at 1.40pm, so we are hoping there will be a steady stream of traffic entering the site during the morning.”
The free event is being organised by a team led by the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, involving Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council, RAF Cosford and the RAF Cosford Museum.
Activities will run from 9am to 5pm, featuring demonstrations from Shropshire’s industrial, commercial and agricultural expertise in a “Showcase Hangar”, and musicians and singers will be performing on an outdoor stage throughout the day.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be hosted at a reception at the RAF Museum, which will be closed to the public during the day, before being driven through the crowds to watch the spectacular Reignbow Procession.
