Jersey Battle of Flowers

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Battle of Flowers
The Optimists Club ‘Beyond the Barricade’.jpg
'Beyond the Barricade' by The Optimists Club, winners in 2013 of the Prix d'Honneur, The Spectators' Award, Best Illuminated float over 25ft, Clubs & Associations and winner of Class 11
Location(s) Jersey
Years active 121
Inaugurated August 9, 1902 (1902-08-09)
Website
www.battleofflowers.com

The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey in the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music, funfairs, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969, when 60,000 people were present.[1] While current spectator numbers are around 20,000.

The major floats are usually produced by the parishes of Jersey.

The 'Battle' itself originally consisted of dismantling the floats to provide floral ammunition for a literal battle of flowers between participants and spectators, but this aspect has long been abandoned. Since 1989, a nighttime Moonlight Parade with the floats festooned in lights has been introduced. The Moonlight Parade ends with a large fireworks display. Recent years have seen higher turnout to the moonlight parade, which is particularly enjoyed by locals as well as tourists, as it has a great party atmosphere.

History

An advertisement for the 1913 Battle of Flowers details the various festivities

The first Battle of Flowers was held on 9 August 1902 on Victoria Avenue, Saint Helier. The event was inspired by the flower carnival of Nice, and was such a success that it became a regular event. The First World War interrupted the tradition and it was not until 1928 that the Battle was revived at Springfield where it was held until 1938. The threat of war meant the 1939 event was abandoned and it was not until 1951 that the event was revived back on Victoria Avenue, where it was held for many years on the last Thursday in July (since moved to its current date).[2]

In 1964 the event was attended by around 50,000 people.[3]

Prizes

Prizes are awarded in numerous categories, with their names in French, for floats of different sizes and types. Listed here are the main prizes.

2014

Winners at the 2014 Battle of Flowers included:[4]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club[5] 'Fire Cracker'
  • Prix d'Excellence: St Clement’s 'The Snow Queen'
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: St Brelade's ‘Matryoshka’
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends ‘Fillmore at Motor Mall’
  • Prix de Mérite: St Saviour's ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’
  • Prix Décor: St Saviour’s Juniors ‘Wacky Races’
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club ‘Fire Cracker’
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25ft): The Optimists Club ‘Fire Cracker’
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25ft): Adrian and Friends Juniors 'Fillmore at Motor Mall'

2013

Winners at the 2013 Battle included:[6]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club[5] ‘Beyond the Barricade’
Optimists Club 2013 Prix d'Honneur Winning Entry 'Beyond the Barricade' at Moonlight Parade - Best Illuminated Float over 25ft
  • Prix d'Excellence: St Brelade’s ‘Chang’
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: St Clement’s ‘Elephanta’
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends ‘Who's Who’
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad ‘Sweeps ‘N’ All’
  • Prix Décor: St Saviour’s ‘Never Ending Stories’
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club ‘Beyond the Barricade’
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25ft): The Optimists Club ‘Beyond the Barricade’
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25ft): Parish of St. Peter Juniors ‘Mary Poppins'

2012

Winners at the 2012 Battle included:[7]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" [8]
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement - "Neverland"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of St. Brelade - "Shangri-La"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends - "S-Car-Go"
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends - "Gnomeville"
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad - "Jack O'Lantern"
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25ft): The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines"
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25ft): Parish of St. Peter - "The Muppet Show"

2011

Winners at the 2011 Battle included:[9]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement - "Wonderland"
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Wild Wild West"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Gallard

. Spectators Award : Parish of St.Clement - Wonderland

2010

Winners at the 2010 Battle included:[10]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement - "Shen Lung"
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Showboat"
  • Prix Decor: The Henwood Ensemble
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: The Jersey Young Farmers Club
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Parish of Grouville (Juniors)
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Showboat"

2009

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Battle of Flowers parade, December 13, 2009, Saint Helier, Jersey

Winners at the 2009 Battle included:[11]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Saviour - "Hanamachi"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement - "Olympus"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Trinity - Themed on 50 years of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

2008

Winners at the 2008 Battle included:[12]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Circus"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Saint Saviour
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Jersey Young Farmers Club
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Circus"

2007

Teddy's Toytime by St Martin, 2007

Winners at the 2007 Battle included:[13]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Valhalla"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob, Adrian and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: John Le Cornu Family and Friends

2006

A Gnome sits fishing from his toadstool on the Grouville Too Float, 2006

Winners at the 2006 Battle included:[1]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Shamrock Express"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Mary Bidan and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Grouville Too

2005

Winners at the 2005 Battle included:

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Merry Christmas"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Mary Bidan and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath Family and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Optimists Juniors

Miss Battle of Flowers and Mr Battle

A competition to select a Miss Battle is held, each year, in the months preceding the Battle. The competition involves a set of contests held in each of the parishes. A winner is selected in each parish, and these ladies are entered into the final competition to select the year's Miss Battle of Flowers.

Miss Battle of Flowers, the overall winner of the Miss Parish contests, rides on her own specially made float. There was also formerly a Maid of Honour who rode with the Miss Battle but this has now been dropped. The tradition of having a Mr Battle to escort Miss Battle was in abeyance for a number of years, but Kyran Bracken revived the rôle in 2007, and 2008 saw Christopher Biggins occupying the role. In 2009 Marco Pierre White took the role; in 2010 it was Danny Young, and in 2011 Gareth Gates.

The table below lists some years, but is not a complete list.

Miss Battle winners by year
Winner Mr Battle Notes
2015 Chantelle Mundy[14] -
2014 Holly Perchard[15] Ray Quinn
2013 Taye Le Monnier[16] Mikey North
2012 Rebecca Houze[17] Matthew Wolfenden[18]
2011 Alice Cubbage[19] Gareth Gates[20]
2010 Sarah Watson[21] Danny Young[22]
2009 Lucy O'Sullivan[23] Marco Pierre White[24]
2008 Holly Fraser Christopher Biggins[25]
2007 Victoria Trèhorel[26] Kyran Bracken[27]
2006 Sinead Brennan[28] Andy Abraham and Jodie Marsh were hired as guests for the event.[29]
2005 Victoria Keen[30]
2004 Sophie Chaopradith[31]
2003 Hannah Tully[32]
2002 Unknown Jimmy Savile[33]
1990 Emma Clarke[34]
1988 Anna O'Shea Roy Castle[35]
1983 Collette Le Riche[36] Gareth Hunt[36]
1978 June Wilson[37] Sacha Distel
1960 Unknown Sterling Moss[38]
1951 Petula Clark[39] Battle's first lady of flowers, rather than Miss Battle.

References

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  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Jersey Evening Post 10 August 2007
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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