How to Throw a Spectacular Street Party
Looking to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with festivities of your own? Here’s how to throw a street party, Liberty-style.
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How to Throw a Spectacular Street Party
Looking to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with festivities of your own? Here’s how to throw a street party, Liberty-style.
Shop Best of BritishBy: Maddi John
Perfect your Victoria Sponge recipe, pull out (or craft your own) bunting, because the Queen’s momentous Platinum Jubilee (5 June 2022) is just around the corner and we have all the street party ideas you need to celebrate the first British monarch in history to reach 70 years on the throne. Flag waving, delicious food, drink and plenty of music are basic requirements, but how do you organise the best party on the street? From laying a spectacular table to DIY-ing your very own bunting, find all the best street party ideas and how-to's below.
1. Deck Out on Decorations and Rally the Troops
Once you’ve got the administrative bit out the way (e.g. submitting your application form and getting your local council’s approval) the fun can really begin. Party decorations set the tone for any celebration and a Jubilee street party isn’t complete without metres of bunting strung up from house to house. Look to brands like Coco & Wolf and Cambridge Imprint for pre-made versions, or unleash your inner crafter and create your own; Liberty Fabric’s Windsor Ribbon design feels particularly apt.
A party isn’t a party without guests, so be sure to invite everyone on your street. The digitally-inclined will favour setting up a Whatsapp group to keep everyone in the loop, or put a #LibertyCraftClub spin on the task by crafting handwritten invites to pop through their letterboxes. Simple yet effective, Liberty’s Memo Pads make the perfect invitation paper.
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2. Prepare the Feast
All foodies will agree, the menu can make-or-break any event, so avoid soggy sandwiches and bland biscuits at all costs. Lean into quintessential finger-food favourites like egg and cress sandwiches and golden-glazed sausage rolls, laid out as a massive shareable feast along the centre of the table. Don’t forget the sweet treats, either. Liberty’s Heritage All-Butter Shortbread Biscuits and Milly Green’s Tin of Traditional Clotted Cream Fudge pair perfectly with a good cup of tea. Fancy something stronger? Fill pitchers upon pitchers with fruit-laden Pimms or pre-made gin and tonics.
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Charbonnel et Walker
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Fine Milk & Dark Chocolate Selection 500g
The British Honey Company
Keepr’s Platinum Jubilee Honey Infused London Dry Gin 700ml
3. Tablescape Down to a Tea
If you're not a natural, the idea of tablescaping may intimidate you, but don’t stress: street parties were made for informality. Let’s be honest, finding a tablecloth long enough for a street-long party won’t be easy, so instead, try buying a long length of fabric or collaborate with your neighbours by layering up every colourful, bright-patterned tablecloth you have hiding in your homes.
Mismatched glassware and crockery are a fabulous way to create an eclectic playful look, and you can easily ask everyone to bring their favourite mugs when tea time calls. Take a look at Emma Bridgewater’s playful Jubilee collection if you’re after something new.
Finding the right centrepiece is essential for tying the table together; try piling up cakes and sweet treats on decadent cake stands, from brands like Vaiselle or Estelle Colored Glass.
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4. Mark the Moment with a Keepsake
With an occasion as momentous as this, you’ll want to capture the joy of The Platinum Jubilee with a keepsake to always remember it by. One option for honouring the day is with a silk scarf from Liberty’s The Queen’s Jubilee capsule collection, perfect for wearing looped around your neck or slipped through the handles of a basket bag. Alternatively, McGlaggan Smith’s commemorative bauble, Emma Bridgewater’s mug or Merrythought’s London Gold Teddy Bears are all family heirlooms in the making.
