The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey in the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music, funfairs, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the Coronation of Edward VII. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969, when 60,000 people were present. While current spectator numbers are around 20,000.
The major floats are usually produced by the parishes of Jersey.
The 'Battle' itself originally consisted of dismantling the floats to provide floral ammunition for a literal battle of flowers between participants and spectators, but this aspect has long been abandoned. Since 1989, a nighttime Moonlight Parade with the floats festooned in lights has been introduced. The Moonlight parade ends with a large fireworks display. Recent years have seen higher turnout to the moonlight parade, which is particularly enjoyed by locals as well as tourists, as it has a great party atmosphere.
Read more about Jersey Battle Of Flowers: History, Prizes, Miss Battle of Flowers and Mr Battle
Famous quotes containing the words jersey, battle and/or flowers:
“vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey leaving a trail of ambiguous
picture postcards of Atlantic City Hall,”
—Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926)
“Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.”
—Thomas Gray (1716–1771)