The Art of Living: A Right Royal Knees-Up!

On Friday 29th April 2011 there will be street parties up and down the country:  trestle tables in long lines, everyone bringing out chairs, trays of sandwiches, cakes and urns of tea. Bunting will be stretched from houses, lamposts and trees. It's great that people can have a day off and a good excuse for a party!

The BBC reported that councils have received over 5500 requests for road closures.
There's a webiste dedicated to Street Parties www.streetparty.org.uk - with everything you need to know to plan your street party. If you have missed the opportunity to have a street party this year there's always The Queens Diamond Jubilee in June 2012, with another very welcome Bank Holiday!

It brings out a certain 70's nostalgia.  I was too young to remember the Silver Jubilee celebrations but I do remember our village party for Charles & Diana's wedding in 1981. The playing fields and village hall were amass with colour and celebration.  I also remember standing in a long line of children to receive the Charles & Diana coin, which is the only Royal memorabilia that I own, though this week I have also ordered the  Royal Mail commemorative stamps of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (I do confess to my love of stamps!). Does that make me a Royalist?  I'm certainly very excited about watching the wedding on the telly.

I haven't been able to dig out our old photos, but I found this photo which is reminiscent of the village celebrations I remember:

Photo courtesy of North London News

Enjoy the party!