Mini monarchs will rejoice as Kingston’s royal heritage will be on full display at the upcoming May Merrie bank holiday event, Crowning Kingston.
Alongside coronation re-enactments and falconry displays, organisers will be recruiting guerrilla knitters to encircle Croydon Town Centre in a gilded crown, threading golden string around trees in the area.
The event changes its theme every year, with the previous themes including play and VE Day, and puts on a wide range of events aimed at parents and children.
Speaking for the organisers, Chris Hislop said: “The event will be celebrating Kingston’s unique royal heritage with a contemporary twist, think a village fete with a regal twist.”
Kingston has a rich royal history and is home to the Coronation Stone, believed to have been used in the coronation of seven Anglo-saxon kings including the charmingly named Æthelred the Unready.
Aside from the coronation of the town centre, budding monarchists will be able to kit themselves out at a crown and sceptre building workshop held at The Rose Theatre, before heading over to All Saints Church for mock coronations.
Music lovers will be serenaded by performances from local choirs and acts, including Morris dancers and a modern take on the maypole dance involving a fiddler and beatboxing.
Hungry visitors will be treated to a giant crown shaped cake which will be sliced with a sword by the Mayor of Kingston, alongside smaller cupcakes for all.
Kingston Museum, which houses a permanent exhibit on Kingston’s royal history, will be hosting a prop and costume making workshop, so that the newly-crowned kings and queens won’t be without their jester and knights.
The May Merrie kicks off a whole season of cultural events in Kingston with the International Youth Arts Festival in July and the Food Festival in August.
The event starts at 12pm on Monday May 4 with events running throughout the afternoon.
