What a great party it was! Back in 1902, the people of Jersey set out to celebrate the Coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and they wanted to make it different. So, someone somewhere hit upon the idea of a "Battle of Flowers" but little did they realise when the words were first uttered that, 104 yrs later the event would be World famous and have passed its Centenary.
With the exception of the duration of the two World Wars, the Island has regularly gone "into Battle", and the event has become a community focal point as well as the high point of the summer season. Back in the 60's, the event was attracting huge audiences and most Battle observers agree that the largest crowd was probably the 60,000 which saw the spectacle in 1969. Smaller numbers - around 30,000 people - watch the event these days, safe in the saying that "it never rains on Battle Day" - fingers crossed!
This century of Battles has also reflected the changes and developments that have occurred in western society. The first motor vehicles joined the parade in 1906, but horse-drawn floats were popular right up until the 1970's. Gone also is the real "Battle" where the crowd were invited to rip up the exhibits and pelt their friends with flowers.
No matter what happens in the future - who knows, solar powered exhibits might be just around the corner - the Battle of Flowers will remain a cornerstone of Island life. Thousands of people plan their summers around the event: growing flowers, building exhibits and then working double, triple shifts and often longer to ensure the exhibit is fully decorated in time for you - the audience - on this special day.
Contact Information
General Information: Attn: Margaret Fitzgerald
Tel. 01534 743171
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Note: Event dates are subject to change. Please contact the event organizer before making travel plans.
Carnival Connection: Your source for Caribbean Carnival Festival Information, including festival dates, parade information, contact information and links to official websites. Includes information about Mardi Gras, Trini-Style Carnival and other related festivals.
Where's the current dates? - Unlike other websites, CaribbeanChoice only publishes the official dates as released by the carnival organizer. Most other websites simply guess what next year's dates are. We don't do that. We want to make sure our information is as accurate as possible.
This page will be updated as soon as we get the official dates from the event organizer, or they post it on their official website, whichever comes first.
Note: We haven't heard anything from this carnival in awhile. It may not be held anymore. If you have information about this carnival, please contact us.