People living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will have plenty of opportunity to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort at various locations across the area.

On Saturday 6 May, The Coronation Ceremony conducted by The Archbishop of Canterbury from Westminster Abbey, will be broadcast on big screens installed in the Lower Gardens in Bournemouth, the Quomps at Christchurch Quay and in Poole’s Baiter Park.

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) the screens will stream live events from 10am, with the service starting at 11am, until the end of the programme around 2pm. Residents and visitors are being encouraged to bring chairs and blankets and enjoy a Coronation picnic as they watch the new King and Queen being crowned.

In all three towns a variety of musical acts, buskers and roaming street performers will be entertaining the crowds during the screenings and into the afternoon.

There is a huge variety of local events taking place at venues across the region including at Upton Country Park, Christchurch Priory, Highcliffe Castle, Queen’s Park and Fisherman’s Walk in Bournemouth and at Poole’s Falkland Square and outside Poole Museum.

Further information and timings of picnics, special Coronation services, live music, screenings, maypole dancing, fancy dress competitions, face painting and food stalls can be found at https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/The-Coronation-of-King-Charles-III/Schedule-of-local-events.aspx

There will be 177 street parties happening around the conurbation, mostly on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May. Residents are advised to take note of the associated road closures when travelling over the long weekend.

A BCP Council spokesperson said, “We are delighted that so many BCP residents and communities are coming together over the Coronation Weekend to celebrate this important event in our nation’s history. Our website includes full details of the programme across BCP and there will be regular social media updates on all events, activities and road closures throughout the run up and during The Coronation Weekend itself.”

The Coronation Big Lunch is taking place across the UK on Sunday 7 May and once again the community is invited to come together with a picnic at the three venues in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in a nationwide act of friendship and celebration.

Later that evening the star studded Coronation Concert from Windsor Castle will be screened and the crowds will be invited to dance and sing along to an eclectic range of music – from Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Take That to Andrea Bocelli, the classical soul composer Alexis French and the especially assembled Coronation Choir, made up of refugee and NHS Choirs alongside LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf-signing choirs.

BCP Council will be working with partner agencies to keep people safe, and the resort clean during the bank holiday weekend and is encouraging everyone to play their part by putting their litter in the bin and respecting others so that all can enjoy a fantastic, fun weekend.