High Street to host a right royal party
Cookham: Bunting, music and a singalong to mark Platinum Jubilee
A Cookham street party will be in full swing on June 5 in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – with a band, choirs and a Royal Ascot-style singalong on the High Street.
Permission has been granted by the Royal Borough to close Cookham High Street to traffic so organisers can set up long tables all throughout for people to sit, eat and celebrate together.
Starting at noon and running until 4pm, there will be entertainment ‘all afternoon’ including music from Cookham Kids Choir and Maidenhead Tuneless Choir.
Jayne Milburn and Adam Garrett and of Devine Flowers are organising the event.
“It’s a huge event we have done for the last two jubilees,” said Adam. “It’s a free event for everyone to turn up and have a fabulous day.”
The High Street has previously been closed before for Cookham’s annual Christmas Street Fayre but the jubilee party will be different, in that it will focus on Cookham businesses.
“This is to celebrate Cookham and surrounding areas, and a fabulous excuse to bring everyone together, celebrating the Queen and reminding everyone that
Cookham is here,” said Adam.
Pubs and restaurants will be selling their food and drink – though those attending are encouraged to bring a picnic.
Bunting and flags designed and coloured by Cookham schoolchildren will be put up, with a competition for best bunting judged on the day.
The competitions – including a bake-off, best window-dressing for shops and a kings and queensthemed fancy dress – will be judged by celebrity guests attending.
A large union flag will be displayed near Cookham’s memorial on the junction of High Street and School Lane, coloured in square by square by Cookham children.
The afternoon will round off with a singalong in the style of the communal singing around the Ascot Racecourse Bandstand – with the national anthem and tunes such as Sweet Caroline and Hey Jude.
Though free parking is available on the day at Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) in Cookham, organisers are encouraging as many people as possible to walk.
To raise money for the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the event, the organisers are holding a number of fundraisers.
It has sold out of tickets for its fundraising dinner on May 10 at The White Oak in The Pound, though tickets may still be available for its event at The Bel and The Dragon, which takes place tonight (Thursday).
The quiz and cocktail night is from 7pm to 9.30pm and tickets can be bought directly from the pub.
Organisers have also received donations from the Louis Baylis Trust and Cookham Parish Council of £1,000 and £500 from the King's Hall Fund.