Ashford Celebrates: The Coronation of King Charles III
Coronation of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen Consort
The Coronation Ceremony for His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey. The Coronation will see people across the UK and the Commonwealth coming together to celebrate this historic day.
Here in Ashford the day will be celebrated with a community event in Victoria Park, as well as a Civic Service at St Mary the Virgin Church, Ashford on Sunday 7 May.
Community Coronation Celebration, Victoria Park
A live screening of the Coronation, including ‘The King’s Procession’, the Coronation Ceremony and ‘The Coronation Procession’ will take place in Victoria Park on Saturday 6 May. This will be followed by performances from local groups and individuals.
Civic Service at St Mary the Virgin Church, Ashford
A church service in honour of the newly crowned King Charles III will take place at St Mary the Virgin Church, Ashford, on the morning of Sunday 7 May.
The national programme will include:
Saturday 6 May
Coronation Day: The King’s Procession then the Coronation Ceremony followed by ‘The Coronation Procession’ then the balcony appearance at the Palace.
Sunday 7 May
The Coronation Concert: This will take place at Windsor Park and will include performances by the multi-cultural and diverse Coronation Choir. A new addition will be the ‘Lighting Up of the Nation’ with lighting and drones.
The Coronation Big Lunch (also 6-8 May): The community is encouraged to embrace the invitation to join in ‘The Coronation Big Lunch’ by sharing food and fun together with gatherings and street parties within their communities. More detail on getting involved is available on the Coronation Big Lunch website.
If you would like to hold a street party then please view the guide to holding your own street party. If you are holding a party on a public road then you will require a Road Closure Notice. To apply for a Road Closure Notice please complete Kent County Council’s Coronation Street Party road closure application form. Please note the deadline for applications is 3 March 2023.
If you are holding your party on private land or off the road you will not need a Road Closure Notice.
Monday 8 May (national Bank Holiday)
The Big Help Out: The Big Help Out will provide an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of His Majesty’s service and showcase the impact of volunteering within communities. People across the UK will be able to get involved and more detail is available on The Big Help Out website.
For more information about the Coronation of King Charles III and how you can get involved visit the Coronation website.
Grant Funding Opportunities
National Lottery funding: Funding is available of up to £10,000 for Coronation events and activities through the National Lottery Awards for All programme. Please be aware that while there is no deadline, it can take up to 12 weeks from the point of application submission to receiving funding, which means applications for the Coronation weekend should be made before the middle of February. All funding criteria and terms and conditions are available on the Heritage Lottery website.
