The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be broadcast live on a giant screen in Leicester next week as part of a series of events in the city to mark the historic occasion.
Coverage of the ceremony from Westminster Abbey will be shown on the outdoor screen at De Montfort University’s campus on Mill Lane on Mill Lane on Saturday, May 6.
While the new King is being crowned, young visitors to Leicester Museum and Art Gallery on New Walk will be able to make their own crown or create some bunting to take home with them for a coronation party.
Coronation Crafts runs from 11am until 3pm on Saturday 6 May. Admission is free of charge, with a suggested donation of £1 for materials.
Celebrations will continue on Sunday 7 May with a special Coronation Party at Leicester’s historic Belgrave Hall. The family-friendly garden party will include hobby-horse racing, outdoor games, and arts and crafts with a royal theme. Visitors are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy it in the hall’s beautiful gardens.
Belgrave Hall’s Coronation Party runs from 11am until 3pm, with a £3 charge for children’s activities. People can pre-book online or pay with cash on the day.
On Monday, 8 May, the Guildhall will mark the coronation and the extra bank holiday with merriment, a maypole (12 noon to 1.30pm) and Morris dancing.
The Guildhall’s Coronation Celebrations run from 11am – 2.30pm and include family-friendly craft activities (until 2pm). A £2 entry charge applies.
The fun will then continue at 2.30pm with a bank holiday Ceilidh, featuring music from East Midlands-based 3 Around 3. Pre book your tickets or pay at the door (£6). Under 16s can take part in the event – which runs until 4.30pm – free of charge.
Leicester’s libraries and neighbourhood centres will be joining in too, with events taking place at venues across the city in the run-up to the coronation and on the day itself.
There’ll be crowns to decorate at the Pork Pie library (11am-12.30pm, Saturday 6 May), bunting to make at the Central library (from 2-6 May) and a coronation treasure hunt at Beaumont Leys library (from 29 April until 13 May).
Children from Folville Junior School will plant a commemorative tree in the Brite Centre’s grounds at 10am on Friday 5 May, a coronation cake will be cut at a musical event at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday 3 May (2pm-4pm) and St Barnabas library will show the coronation ceremony live on the large screen TV in its new digital and performance suite during opening hours (10am – 4pm).
Visitors to Leicester’s libraries and community centres will also be invited to record their hopes for the reign of King Charles III. Each venue will display a Coronation poster, with space for people to post their thoughts. The comments will be incorporated into a book that will be kept in the local studies area of Leicester Central Library.
Details of all the events taking place at Leicester’s libraries and neighbourhood centres are listed at leicester.gov.uk/coronationinlibraries
