Coronation celebrations: Mid and East Antrim commences countdown to historic occasion

The coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort Camilla will take place this Saturday (May 6) at Westminster Abbey – and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is reminding residents of events to celebrate the historic milestone.

Tuesday 2 May: ‘Talking of the Coronation’ at 7.30pm in St. Patrick’s Church Hall, Castle Street, Ballymena, will showcase royal memorabilia, look at the local history of previous royal occasions in the borough and include storytelling. With footage from the Northern Ireland Film Archive of Royal occasions, this is a drop-in event, no booking necessary.

Friday, May 5: 7.30pm in Whitehead Community Centre you can sit down and enjoy footage of previous royal occasions from the Northern Ireland Film Archive, delve into the local history of previous royal occasions and listen to storytelling by members of Dalriada Legends. Again this is a drop-in event, no booking necessary.

Saturday, May 6: The coronation will be broadcast on big screens in People’s Park from 10am in Ballymena, Town Park in Larne, and Marine Gardens in Carrickfergus – don’t forget to bring your own chair and picnic. This will be accompanied by a wide range of fun, family activities taking place from 11am including arts and crafts, face painting, balloon modelling, circus skills workshops, inflatables, dance activities, laser tag and children’s shows (available activities will vary depending on location).

Sunday, May 7: Coronation Community Service at St Patrick’s Church in Ballymena. Organised by council in partnership with local churches, the service will take place at 3pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Monday, May 8: members of the public are invited to take part in The Big Help Out on the bank holiday Monday, which will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas. More information at: www.thebighelpout.org.uk

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is distributing special commemorative coins to schools across the borough to mark the coronation. In addition, any babies born to parent’s resident in the borough in 2023 can apply for a uniquely designed commemorative birth certificate to mark this historic moment in time. You can apply at: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/coronation