BBC NEWS | UK | A weekend of celebrations

Cities, towns and villages across the UK are gearing up to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Thousands of events, large and small, are being held to mark the occasion across the country over the holiday weekend.

As well as the celebrations being attended by the Queen in London, a wide variety of other events are planned.

On Monday night, a chain of nearly 2,000 beacons will be lit, uniting celebrations across the UK, Commonwealth and around the world.

: LONDON MAP
Click here for a detailed plan of London's celebrations

In Northern Ireland, beacons will be set ablaze at 13 locations.

Events will be held in all 26 district council areas, including firework displays, street parties, exhibitions, games and garden parties.

More than 75 beacons will be set ablaze in Scotland, where from Broughton in the heart of the Scottish Borders to Unst, in the Shetland Isles, the country will also mark the Jubilee with bonfires and parties.

Queen's Gold State Coach is prepared
Feverish preparations are underway
A total of 99 beacons will light up the skies in Wales, where almost 300 commemorative events will be held over the Jubilee weekend.

In England, the night sky will be aglow from Berwick-upon-Tweed in the North East to the Isles of Scilly in the South West.

Each village, town and city which makes up the network of beacons has organised special events unique to each area.

Some of the highlights of the Jubilee weekend will include:

Saturday 1 June

2000-2200 BST: Prom at the Palace classical concert in Buckingham Palace gardens.

The concert will be broadcast live on the big screens located along the Mall and in adjacent parks, as well as on video screens across the UK.

Throughout the day in Reigate, Surrey, 50 retail outlets, including Marks and Spencer and Safeway, will be selling goods at 1952 prices.

From 1200 BST on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Cardiff Bay will host performances from some of Europe and the UK's top street theatre artists.

1900 BST: Gala evening at Belfast City Hall to celebrate Northern Ireland's "golden moments" of the past 50 years.

Sunday 2 June

1045 BST: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend an ecumenical Jubilee service with their staff at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The service will be taken by the Dean of Windsor, but representatives of all Christian churches in the UK will participate.

The service will be followed by a walkabout at Windsor.

Other Royal Family members will attend church services across the UK.

These will include: the Prince of Wales and Princes William and Harry in Swansea; the Earl and Countess of Wessex at Salisbury Cathedral; the Duke of Kent in Belfast; and the Princess Royal in Ayr.

Other Jubilee services will be held across the country.

From Sunday to Tuesday, a Jubilee Navy Days celebration will be held at Chatham, Kent, where an international fleet of warships and heritage craft will be on display.

1830 BST: Welsh National Opera will hold a free open air Jubilee concert at Cardiff Bay.

Monday 3 June

1130 BST: Queen to attend parade reflecting her reign in Windsor.

1300 BST: Nationwide peal of bells to herald start of street parties across the country.

1300 BST: Queen will launch BBC Music Live Festival in Slough, Berkshire, which will start a music festival in over 200 towns and cities throughout the UK.

1300-2230 BST: Edinburgh's Golden Jubilee garden party. Event will include street theatre, music, dance and events for the children, and an evening concert featuring Celtic and world music.

1930-2230 BST: Party at the Palace pop concert in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Concert will be broadcast on the big screens located along the Mall and in adjacent parks.

2130 BST: Chain of beacons to be lit across UK, Commonwealth and around the world. The Queen will light the final beacon at the Queen Victoria memorial at the front of Buckingham Palace at 2240 BST.

2245-2300 BST: Fireworks will be launched from the roof of the palace and courtyard. The display will be relayed on the big screens outside the palace.

Tuesday 4 June

1040 BST: The Queen and Royal Family members leave Buckingham Palace for a state procession to St Paul's Cathedral, where a national service of thanksgiving will take place.

1345-1730BST: A national festival takes place on the mall featuring parades and pageants.

1755 BST: Celebrations in London will conclude with a flypast of 26 RAF aircraft followed by the Red arrows and Concorde.


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