Battle of Flowers
Encyclopedia
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
held in the Channel Island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
in the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music, funfair
Funfair
A funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
s, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the Coronation of Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969, when 60,000 people were present.
The major floats are usually produced by the parishes of Jersey
Parishes of Jersey
The Channel Island of Jersey is divided into twelve administrative districts or parishes. All have access to the sea and are named after the saints to whom their ancient parish churches are dedicated.:* Saint Helier...
. 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
Kyran Bracken
Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played at scrum-half for Saracens, Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C....
revived the rôle in 2007, and 2008 saw Christopher Biggins
Christopher Biggins
Christopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups...
occupying the role. It was then brought back again in 2011 with Gareth Gates as Mr battle.
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.
Prizes
Prizes are awarded in numerous categories, with their names in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, for floats of different sizes and types.
2008
Winners at the 2008 Battle included:- Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club
- Prix d'Excellence: Saint Saviour
- Grand Prix des Paroisses: TrinityTrinity, JerseyTrinity is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north east of the island.Trinity has the reputation of being the most rural of Jersey's parishes, being the third-largest parish by surface area with the third-smallest population. The parish covers 6,817 vergées...
- Grand Prix des Fleurs: Jersey Young Farmers Club
- Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
- Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad
2007
- Prix d'Honneur: St. ClementSaint Clement, JerseySaint Clement is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the south east of the Island, and contains some of the suburbs of Saint Helier. It is the smallest parish by surface area, but the second most densely populated. St...
- Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club
- Grand Prix des Paroisses: TrinityTrinity, JerseyTrinity is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north east of the island.Trinity has the reputation of being the most rural of Jersey's parishes, being the third-largest parish by surface area with the third-smallest population. The parish covers 6,817 vergées...
- 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
- Prix d'Honneur: St. ClementSaint Clement, JerseySaint Clement is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the south east of the Island, and contains some of the suburbs of Saint Helier. It is the smallest parish by surface area, but the second most densely populated. St...
- Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club
- Grand Prix des Paroisses: TrinityTrinity, JerseyTrinity is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north east of the island.Trinity has the reputation of being the most rural of Jersey's parishes, being the third-largest parish by surface area with the third-smallest population. The parish covers 6,817 vergées...
- 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
- Prix d'Excellence: St. ClementSaint Clement, JerseySaint Clement is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the south east of the Island, and contains some of the suburbs of Saint Helier. It is the smallest parish by surface area, but the second most densely populated. St...
- Grand Prix des Paroisses: GrouvilleGrouville-Vingtaines:Grouville is divided for administrative purposes into vingtaines as follows:*La Vingtaine des Marais*La Vingtaine de la Rue*La Vingtaine de Longueville*La Vingtaine de la RocqueThe Minquiers are part of the 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