On 12th August 2010 the Battle of Flowers parade took place on the Channel Island of Jersey, to great acclaim, and was watched by thousands of spectators.
History of the Jersey Battle of Flowers
To commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII together with Queen Alexandra, a parade comprising flower-decorated floats was held on the Channel Island of Jersey in 1902. Following the success of this parade it became an annual event until the First World War, at which point it was suspended. It was not revived until 1926, but then continued each year until the outbreak of the Second World War, and the occupation of the Channel Islands by German forces. A group of businessmen revived it a second time, at the start of the 1950s, since which time it has developed as a major tourist attraction.
Design, construction and decoration of the floats takes several months each year. Some of the floats are decorated with paper flowers, some with a mixture of paper and natural flowers, and some with only natural flowers. The floats vary in size, with the smallest being about ten feet long, and the largest being forty-five feet long. There is fierce competition for the prizes that are awarded in the various categories. The two main awards are: Prix d'Honneur and Prix d'Excellence.
Battle of Flowers 2010
St Helier, the capital of Jersey is the venue for the Battle of Flowers parade, with floats proceeding along both sides of Victoria Avenue, at the seafront. At 1pm the gates opened, with the spectators expected to have taken their seats by 2pm. Temporary grandstands had been erected for seating, plus there were roadside chairs available. In addition, there was room for spectators to stand or sit at the roadside. The price of admission varied according to the choice made between these arrangements, with of course the cheapest option being the standing/sitting one.
At 2.25pm the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, and his wife, were driven on a lap of honour up and down the length of Victoria Avenue, before formally declaring the start of the parade at 2.30pm. Some floats set off from the West end of the avenue, while at the same time some of the floats set off from the eastern end, before each turning round and travelling in the opposite direction. Many of the floats played a piece of music as they went along: the entry from The Optimist's Club, Showboat played 'Proud Mary' over and over again. The whole float was rocking, as the people on board the paddle steamer were singing and doing actions to the music. Showboat was awarded the Prix d'Excellence, (2nd prize) overall, as well as the Spectator's Award.
In addition to the floats there were several marching bands: the Band of the Island of Jersey, the Band of Herne Bay Sea Cadets, Corcrain Flute Band, Chesterfield Musketeers, The Dolphin Marching Band and Street Heat.
The winner of the Prix d'Honneur (first prize) was the entry from the parish of St Clements, Shen Lung. It featured a magnificent Chinese dragon, complete with smoking nostrils and an enormous vase displaying several flowers. Awarding the prize to Shen Lung caused some resentment among the other competitors, as the Shen Lung float had not been entirely finished before the parade: there were a few gaps in the floral covering.
Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade
On Friday 13th 2010 the floats were displayed again, this time in the Moonlight Parade, at the same venue, but starting at 9pm. In between the two parades, all the floats had been kitted out with lights, making a literally dazzling display.
Trevor Lewis - Trevor Lewis has been working in the IT industry for the last thirty years. He also has a long-standing interest in astronomy and space ...
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