Kirkby Lonsdale to unite through music and dance for Platinum Jubilee

Kirkby Lonsdale & Lune Valley CIC (community interest company) has released the programme of free events for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The community has worked together closely to put on the event. There will be a special Jubilee Charter Market until 4pm and Beacon Ceremony (7pm until late) on June 2; a community street party in Market Square on June 3 and 4; and dance performances and workshops on June 4.

There will be two stages of live music: the Street Party Stage in Market Square and the Buskers Stage in Jubilee Field, with local shops and the weekly market serving food and drink.

Kirkby Lonsdale CIC is working with creative practitioner Jayne Davies to put on a programme of free dance performances and workshops with LUDUS Dance, having received £5,000 from Cumbria Community Foundation and Arts Council England’s ‘Let’s Create’ fund.

A new dance commission will be performed by Curious Dance Company at the street party on June 4 and dancers will process down Main Street to St Mary’s Church where they will lead free dance demos.

Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council contributed £1,000 to the event and organised the Beacon Ceremony on June 2 at Kirkby Lonsdale play park, where there will be live entertainment and food and drink from Devil’s Bridge Snacks and The Little Barn Bar, from 7pm until late.

The Christopher Robin’s Trust has also put £1,000 towards a new poetry commission, which will be performed for the first time at the Beacon Ceremony, composed and performed by local poet Matt Sowerby.

There will be multiple performances over the weekend at the Market Square street party and at the closing ceremony at St Mary’s Church (10.30am on June 5).

Phoebe Rodway, marketing & communications assistant at Kirkby Lonsdale CIC and coordinator of the Platinum Jubilee programme, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration and it has been very exciting to watch it come to life – we starting planning Dancing Through The Decades back in January!

"The best part of the project has been working with all the groups and individuals in Kirkby Lonsdale and seeing the community placed at the heart of the event.”