The official Diamond Jubilee logo was drawn by Katherine Dewar (10 years old), from Chester. “I’m project managing the street party,” a friend told me last week. “We have a team meeting next weekend.”
“And how much work will actually be done at this team meeting?” she asked me.
“Ha! “Ha!
It was what I could picture: neighbors gathering in her spacious living room, having a conversation about bunting, and then cracking open a bottle of wine.
All across the UK, neighbours will gather this long bank holiday weekend to celebrate the completion of their street party projects. If you haven’t heard about the Queen’s Jubilee, we are celebrating the fact that she has been reigning for 60 consecutive years.
At the last count, 9,408 people applied to close their roads. The road was closed and people began to set up trestle tables, folding chairs, sets of skittles, and paper tablecloths with Union Jacks. This is a lot of street parties. And that’s not counting those who don’t have to close the road to celebrate. For example, my neighbors a few blocks away who put two marquees in a small green space in front their flats on Saturday to host their party.
Street parties don’t happen overnight. Someone must lead. So, all over the country, streets have been nominating project managers to coordinate road closures, sort out balloons, and ensure that everyone doesn’t bring potato salad.
Yesterday’s Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant saw approximately 1,000 boats representing all parts of the Commonwealth sail 7 Miles from Battersea, to Tower Bridge. It was a complex task to organize the project:
14 miles of bunting
3 miles of mooring chains
A new set of 8 bells for the church and the rig to keep them in place in the boat lead boat.
Coordinating the bells of the Thamesbank churches to answer the floating belfry bells
Organise the salute of the bascules at Tower Bridge
Plan for the security of Royal Family members onboard the Royal Barge, Spirit of Chartwell and other boats
Organising a gun salute
13 bridges closed by local councils
Managing the installation of the flotilla and its broadcast on 7 large screens.
Flags on Oxford Street in London My friend used the term to refer to me, but it applies to anyone who organizes an event to celebrate this weekend.
If you’re attending a street party today have a wonderful day, congratulations on the Jubilee project, and keep your fingers crossed for good weather!