Gosport gets set to start the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Gosport's Platinum Jubilee celebrations will officially get under way with the lighting of a beacon at the Diving Museum on Thursday 2 June. With over 50 street party applications received by Gosport Borough Council, and numerous other free events planned across the borough, it promises to be a weekend of festivities fit for a queen.

The ceremonial lighting of the Platinum Jubilee Beacon, hosted by Gosport Borough Council, will take place on top of Gosport's Diving Museum at No 2 Battery, Stokes Bay Road at 9.45pm on Thursday. Gosport's beacon will be one of more than 1,500 being set alight across the UK and Commonwealth in celebration of the Queen's 70 years of service.

The beacon will be lit during a short ceremony featuring music from Pipe Major Robin Bartholomew, of St Andrew's Pipe Band Hamble-le-Rice, and Gosport bugler Jamie Crook. The beacon lighting will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant's representative, Surgeon Rear Admiral Lionel Jarvis CBE DL, and Mayor of Gosport, Councillor Jamie Hutchison. Members of the public are welcome to attend the ceremony and are invited to arrive at No 2 Battery from 8.30pm, the ceremony will begin at 9.25pm and come to a close at 10pm.

Cllr Peter Chegwyn, the Leader of Gosport Borough Council, said: "The Platinum Jubilee weekend will be a fantastic opportunity for people to come together and celebrate Her Majesty's 70 years of service. It's fantastic to see so many neighbours planning street parties and we know there will be lots of people getting together in homes and gardens across the borough as well as at larger community events. We look forward to lighting the jubilee beacon on Thursday night to mark the official start of the festivities and in that moment joining together in celebration with many others across the country and around the world."

Over 50 groups from across Gosport have applied to the council for a street party road closure and there are also numerous community events with free entertainment taking place across the weekend including the Stoke Road Community Jubilee Festival (Saturday 11am - 3pm), the Jubilee Big Lunch Picnic at Leesland Park (Sunday, 1pm - 3pm), the Platinum Jubilee Party at Alverstoke Village Green (Sunday, 12noon - 3pm), and the Platinum Jubilee Picnic at the Millennium Timespace along The Esplanade (Sunday, 1pm - 3pm).

See more information about events in Gosport.