Jubilation - A Celebration of Our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Saturday 2nd June - Tuesday 5th June

On display throughout this four day festival visitors had the opportunity to see impressive art work, ingenious installations and excellent exhibitions. Our Burnside Boats, Floating Flowers and the Well Dressing picked up on national themes and added a distinctive local character to our celebrations.

Starting with Rolleston’s own Water Pageant. The maritime procession was launched on the Alderbrook by the Croft the morning of Saturday, June 2nd prior to the official opening ceremony by Andrew Griffiths MP at mid-day.

There was a Diamond Jubilee Fête on the Croft on Saturday 12:30pm – 5:00pm. Plenty of fun and games, stalls and the Rolleston Mummers and Uttoxeter Heart of Oak Morris Men were in action.

Rolleston Choral Society presented a thrilling celebration of British music, including a choral version of Elgar’s “Nimrod” and John Rutter’s “This Is The Day”, in St Mary’s Church at 7:30pm.

On Sunday 3rd June some braved the wet weather to join the People’s Parade. Gathering on the Croft at 11:00am they set off at 11.15am along the footpath between the Spread Eagle and St Mary’s, through the lychgate and straight into church for a United Churches 'Open Air' service where Ministers from Rolleston Methodist Chapel and St Mary’s Church combined to celebrate this extraordinary occasion in a Special Diamond Jubilee Service at 11.30am.

Due to the rain the Big Picnic Concert on the Croft (Sunday 3rd June 12: 30pm ~ 3:30pm) was held in the church where there was a programme of live entertainment performed by local musicians, dancers and entertainers.

Big Screen Televising of the River Thames Pageant (Sunday 3rd June: 3:00pm ~ 5:30pm, Rolleston Club). For the biggest and best view in the village, people took shelter from the rain to watch this spectacular pageant while enjoying cream teas, dainty sandwiches and cakes fit for a queen.

Diamond Jubilee Transport Festival (Monday 4th June 10:00am ~ 5:00pm, The Croft, Burnside, Station Road) - John Morris and teamsters rolled out the 4th Charity Transport Festival. Chance to see this fabulous steaming, shining, chrome-plated spectacular road show.

The Diamond Jubilee Grand Garage Sale Tour (Monday 4th June: 10:00am ~ 5:00pm throughout the Village) proved very popular. Bargains were to be found on this crown jewel occasion. There were festival buses taking people to the stalls around the village and refreshing hot drinks and deliciously fresh home-baked cake to be found in the Old Grammar School Tea Room.

On Tuesday 5th June late afternoon onwards it was over to Rolleston Cricket Club for a right royal barbecue with plenty of family fun and games – and to drink a loyal toast to Her Majesty, the Queen.

Throughout the whole four days visitors could enjoy the Flags ‘n’ Flowers (decorated streets & gardens), visit the exhibition of Rolleston Bygones and Memorabilia from the sixty years of Her Majesty’s reign and the Art & Craft Exhibition in Rolleston Methodist Chapel (10 am ~ 4 pm) and from Sunday onwards take a look at the commemorative banners hung in the roof of the nave in St Marys Church celebrating village anniversaries.

Jubilation Programme:
- Jubilation 2012 Programme Front and Back Cover.pdf
- Programme p1 and 6 - Day 1 and 4.pdf
- Programme p2 and 5 - Day 2 and 3.pdf
- Jubilation Map.pdf

Last updated: 6 June 2012