Jersey Battle of Flowers

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DatesSecond Friday & Saturday of August each Year
LocationJersey
Years active123
Inaugurated9 August 1902 (1902-08-09)
Battle of Flowers
'In Flanders Fields' by The Optimists Club – Winners of 2018 Jersey Battle of Flowers Prix d'Honneur, Spectators' Award and Owen Wiscombe Design Award
DatesSecond Friday & Saturday of August each Year
LocationJersey
Years active123
Inaugurated9 August 1902 (1902-08-09)
Attendance14,000
Websitewww.battleofflowers.com

The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey on the second Friday and Saturday of August. The festival consists of music, funfairs, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969 when 60,000 people were present.[1] Current spectator numbers are around 20,000.

The major floats are usually produced by the parishes of Jersey.

The 'Battle' itself originally consisted of dismantling the floats to provide floral ammunition for a literal battle of flowers between participants and spectators, but this aspect has long been abandoned. Since 1989, a nighttime Moonlight Parade with the floats festooned in lights has been introduced. The Moonlight Parade ends with a fireworks display. Recent years have seen higher turnouts to the moonlight parade, which attracts locals as well as tourists possibly due to its party atmosphere.

The first Battle of Flowers was held on 9 August 1902 on Victoria Avenue, Saint Helier. The First World War interrupted the tradition and it was not until 1928 that the Battle was revived at Springfield where it was held until 1938. The threat of war meant the 1939 event was abandoned and it was not until 1951 that the event was revived back on Victoria Avenue, where it was held for many years on the last Thursday in July (since moved to its current date).[2]

In 1964 the event was attended by around 50,000 people.[3]

The ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in 2020 and 2021 caused the very first cancellation of the Battle since its revival in 1951.[4]

Prizes

Miss Battle of Flowers and Mr Battle

References

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