Next week people will come together to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. There are lots of events taking place across the borough in parks and community halls plus entertainment and a trail in Solihull town centre.
Here’s a taste of what’s on offer plus where to go for advice on street parties and street meets, The Big Help Out and how to avoid road closures over the weekend.
Across the borough
There’s lots happening in local areas – from fun fairs to food stalls, picnics to parties and live screenings of the Coronation.
Malvern Park is getting a Coronation makeover of its gates too!
Meanwhile, Solihull Libraries are celebrating with Coronation-themed activities. They also have limited edition wildflower-seeded Coronation bookmarks. Visit your local library to pick up a bookmark and find out about activities.
Check out the list of borough-wide events below and this map for more details, including where to get advance tickets if appropriate – https://www.solihull.gov.uk/communities-and-safety/my-solihull-map
Friday 5 May
- Meriden Park - Robert Wilkinson’s Fun Fair (5, 6, 7, 13,14)
Saturday 6 May
- St James Church, Church Rd, Shirley, B90 2AX – Coronation Screening followed by refreshments 10.45am onwards
- St Leonard’s Church, 32 Elmdon Road, Marston Green, B37 7BT - Sunflower Pop Up Craft Fair 9am-5pm
- St Margaret's Church Event, Old Warwick Road - Coronation Screening and Street Party 11am-4pm
Sunday 7 May
- Arden Hall, Water Orton Road, Castle Bromwich, B36 9PB - Free Party in the Park 12-5pm
- Meriden Park - Robert Wilkinson’s Fun Fair (5, 6, 7, 13,14)
- Shirley Park – Shirley social event
- Silhillians Rugby Club, Warwick Road, Copt Heath, B93 9LW - Family Fun Day 1-9pm
- St Philip's Church Centre - Coronation BBQ 12 - 3pm
Monday 8 May
- Knowle Village Hall and Knowle High Street – Visit Knowle Coronation Celebration 10am onwards
- Shirley Park – Community Coronation Picnic
Solihull town centre
Solihull Business Improvement District start the Royal festivities with a family sticker trail from Saturday 29 April. Children can pick up a trail booklet, learn about past monarchs and enter a draw for a £300 Touchwood gift card.
Solihull town centre will then turn into a hive of activity on Coronation Day, Saturday 6 May. Transport Museum Wythall will be running free vintage bus tours from Solihull train station into the town centre and a static bus will be in Mell Square. The Union Flag Belles will provide roaming entertainment and there’s a chance to take a selfie on a royal throne. There’s even one for your royal pooches too!
For more information on Solihull town centre’s Coronation celebrations, visit http://www.solihullbid.co.uk.
Free screening at The Core
There’s also a chance to watch a free screening of the Coronation at The Core – but you’ll need to book your free tickets in advance here.
Street parties and street meets
Closer to home you may have organised a street party and have your road closure in place. If you didn’t do this in time, you can still organise a ‘street meet’ with your neighbours if you don’t block the road. Organising a Street Party (solihull.gov.uk) has lots of advice and tips to help you.
The Big Help Out
Why not find out how you can join The Big Help Out on Bank Holiday Monday 8 May? As part of the celebrations, thousands of organisations across the country are coming together to give people the chance to help out in their local communities. It’s not too late to get involved or you could use the Coronation weekend as a starting point for reigniting a bit of neighbourliness in your area. https://thebighelpout.org.uk/
Allow time for travelling
Please bear in mind the M42 closure from 10pm on Friday 5 May to 5am on Monday 8 May between junctions 5 and 6. This is to enable National Highways to continue their work to upgrade the M42. A clearly signed diversion route will be put in place but please allow extra time for travelling.
There are also lots of road closures for street parties. You can check where these are here - map