From Hatherleigh to Holsworthy, Broadhempston to Barnstaple and Alphington to Avonwick – communities across Devon are preparing to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the next four days.

The Lord-Lieutenant’s Office is encouraging everyone in Devon to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee Weekend, with hundreds of events ranging from traditional street parties and lunches to Jubilee markets, fun-days, and galas being planned.

Many of these celebrations are taking place on streets in Devon’s communities – and to date more than 160 streets will be temporarily closed to traffic to enable the festivities to take place. The application fees for these closures have been waived.

And each community will celebrate the occasion in its own way; in Ottery St Mary in East Devon for instance, they have organised a series of events including a Jubilee Parade in Broad Street and Mill Street.

While in Barnstaple, North Devon, the finishing touches are being made to a Jubilee Fun Day in the Strand, with ‘big lunches’ in Victoria Lawn and Victoria Close also planned.

Dawlish in Teignbridge is marking the occasion by holding Platinum Jubilee Street Market in the Strand; while in Tavistock in West Devon, a Jubilee gala is taking place in Duke Street.

This will feature a range of events including the ‘River of Hope’ pageant featuring children from 10 local schools, all carrying flags they have designed on the Platinum Jubilee theme of the natural world and hopes for the future.

And for those who aim to hold traditional street parties, they are taking place in every corner of Devon.

Events in Gridley Corner-Tower Hill Road, St Giles-on-the-Heath, in West Devon; Well Street in Starcross, Teignbridge; Hynetown Road in Strete, South Hams; The Village Square, Winkleigh, Torridge; Harcombe Lane, Sidford, East Devon; Hele Rise, Roundswell, North Devon; Castle Street, Tiverton, Mid Devon and Countess Weir Road, Exeter are some of the many being held.

Chair of Devon County Council, Ian Hall said:

“I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on being the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. Her service to this Country deserves our very deepest thanks. She has remained an unwavering constant over the last 70 years, and I would like to offer her my gratitude and warmest wishes on behalf of all residents of Devon. I wish everyone a fantastic bank holiday weekend and I hope you all enjoy yourselves!”

The Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon, said:

“This will be a weekend to bring people together, to spend time and reconnect with our neighbours as well as celebrate Her Majesty The Queen and her wonderful contribution to our country for the last 70 years. I am proud to represent Her Majesty in Devon, which is a county in which she has shown a continuing interest over the years and when I have met her. She has been a constant in my life and has set an incredible example of service to her people throughout her reign, which the Platinum Jubilee gives us an opportunity to celebrate. I love the way that she can combine the formality of her position with the twinkle of her personality.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management said:

“I am delighted to say that there will be more than 160 events taking place on Devon’s streets and roads to mark this momentous occasion. Street parties are very much part of our national identity and have been for more than 100 years, and given the difficult two years we have all endured it’s an opportunity for communities to come together, celebrate, reconnect with neighbours, make new friends and have fun.”