The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Queen Lizzy has been sitting pretty on that throne for 60 long years now, and if that's not an excuse for a right royal knees-up then the four day extended weekend certainly is. School gates will close and shops shut as Brits take to the streets for four days of frolics to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The festivities kick off in May with a at high tide a thousand boats gather on the water, little and large, old and new and all waving Union Jacks towards the shore as they are led by the Queen's Spirit of Chartwell, a specially decorated Thames cruiser. It promises to be a real sight to behold with daytime fireworks colouring the sky as bells chime, trumpets fanfare and the crowds cheer. Millions of people are expected to line the banks and as many as 20,000 people will take to the river making this one of the largest celebrations London has ever seen. The BBC will also put on a Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace featuring British and Commonwealth musicians, and up and down the kingdom celebratory beacons will be lit to mark the occasion. To end the weekend of celebrations The Queen and members of the Royal Family will take part in a formal carriage procession to a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on 5th June. To top it all off, pubs will be given special late licensing to accommodate the late-night jubilations.