Birmingham King Charles III coronation celebrations: the street parties and events taking place

Plans for the coronation of King Charles III are well underway in Birmingham and the West Midlands as the public prepare to celebrate the highly-anticipated event. The royal occasion, which is being held at Westminster Abbey, is a celebration of Charles and Camilla’s official ascension to the throne after the death of the previous monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

The ceremony comes as part of an action packed weekend which includes a star-studded coronation concert at Windsor Castle. The event is expected to attract huge viewing figures and street parties and it is the first coronation to take place in the UK in 70 years.

The coronation service for King Charles III begins at 11am on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey. This is followed by The King’s procession at 2pm which runs for around 1.3 miles . The royal family will then gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The coronation concert is scheduled to take place a day later at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May. Charles and Camilla are scheduled to arrive at Westminster Abbey in a procession starting at Buckingham Palace which is known as the King’s Procession. The king and queen consort will be crowned in the Abbey in London in a service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

How is Birmingham celebrating?

Celebrations will be taking place across the Coronation Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday, May 6 to Monday, May 8.

As well as street parties across the city, the main celebrations will be taking place in Centenary Square. The two days of celebrations will include live music, representing the vibrant diversity of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, including performances from local acoustic musicians, choirs, live bands, cultural entertainment, street entertainers and more.

In Birmingham, there will be two days of community focussed activity will take place on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th May 2023, in Centenary Square, in the heart of Birmingham city centre from 1pm to 9pm, each day. Centenary Square will host a party, with an outdoor stage and live entertainment over the bank holiday weekend. Both the Coronation event and the Coronation Concert will be screened live from the square.

A fun fair including rides for all the family, food concessions, street entertainment and picnic areas, along with a giant screen will be on offer for everyone to soak up the party atmosphere in the square.

The national broadcast of the Coronation will be displayed on the giant screen at 11am on 6 May. The party continues into the afternoon and evening with celebratory choirs, dance troupes, tribute artists and much more until 9pm. The following day, the Coronation Concert will be screened live from 1pm, along with a feast of live entertainment.

Fun Fair: Running from early afternoon until close, there will be children’s fun fair rides and activities will be open throughout the entire weekend.

Food and Drink Stalls: Birmingham city centre has a huge selection of cafes and restaurants, all within close proximity to Centenary Square. Apart from that, the council will be providing an excellent selection of street food outlets for all tastes, including vegetarian and vegan options as well as fully licensed bars throughout the weekend. You can see the fll schedule for Saturday and Sunday, here.

Where are the King’s Cornation street parties in Birmingham?

Applications to host a street party in Birmingham closed today (Friday, April 21). We will update our story wiht the details once they are finalised. Solihull Council has announced that 47 roads are closing across the borough for street parties over the bank holiday and Sandwell Council has announced that it has approved 10 road closures for street party events.

What other parties are taking place across Birmingham & West Midlands?

Kingsbury Water Park Coronation Lunch, Sutton Coldfield, May 7

On Sunday 7th May, celebrations are also being held at the Kingsbury water park.

You can take part in the artisan market, and enjoy the sights and sounds of local craftspeople, showcasing unique handmade items and serving delicious food and drinks.

Explore the great outdoors and discover all the breathtaking sights it has to offer! There are plenty of amazing walks to take, as well as lovely areas to bring a picnic and meet up with family and friends. There will also be activities for children, and people are invited to bring their own picnics.

King Charles Coronation Big Lunch Streetly, May 7

Neighbours in Streetly are invited to share food and fun together at the Coronation Big Lunches on Sunday 7th May 202. From a cup of tea with a neighbour to a street party, a Coronation Big Lunch brings the celebrations to your neighbourhood and is a great way to get to know your community a little better.

The event takes place on Sunday, 7 May, from at Blackwood Park Pavilion and gets underway midday.

Music for Youth, Cannon Hill Park, May 8

Music for Youth will stage a national event for young musicians to mark the Coronation on Monday, May 8. Funded by Arts Council, the Coronation Bandstand Project will see thousands of young musicians perform on bandstands across the country over the bank holiday.

Families are invited to bring picnics to enjoy the day.

AfriQ nSALSA, Coronation Celebration, Holly Lane, Erdington, May 6 & 7

The event will showcase diverse Afro-Caribbean dishes (the Big Lunch) spiced with the performance of a choreography afro-salsa and samba dance and music. The whole community shall be invited to a two-day one-off event to celebrate the Coronation of the King.

Sandwell Valley Countrypark in West Bromwich, May 7

At the Sandwell Valley Countrypark in West Bromwich, a free live screening of the Coronation Concert being held at Windsor Castle will take place on Sunday, May 7. Diverse performances from entertainers from across Sandwell will also be held before the concert gets underway.

There will also be fair rides, community stalls and children’s crafts and games at the countrypark. A Coronation Big Picnic Lunch will also be takig place with the mayor Richard Jones on Sunday.

The Sandwell Valley Coronation Big Lunch will be a picnic with the Mayor and all are welcome. Residents can bring sandwiches, snacks and drinks and join the Mayor celebrating the King’s Coronation.

The Core Theatre, Solihull, May 7

A giant screen will be in place at the Core theatre in Solihull for residents to watch the ceremony live from Westminster Abbey - there will also be lots of kid’s activities too at the Core. Free family fun Royal sticker trail and competitions are also taking place in Solihull town centre until Monday, May 7.

What’s been said about the plans?

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The King’s Coronation will be a truly historic occasion and a fantastic opportunity for the people and communities of Birmingham and the wider region to come together and celebrate.

“Throughout the weekend, we will mark this once in a generation event in true Birmingham style and I’m sure the Centenary Square celebrations will prove to be a hit.”