Jersey Battle of Flowers to 'stay at the heart of island life'

Parishes across Jersey come together to build floral floats for the event every summer

Battle of Flowers exhibitors and bosses hope event changes will allow it to "move with the times" and "stay at the heart of island life".

On Monday, organisers said they had moved events to a Friday and Saturday, instead of Thursday and Friday.

The annual event is known for its abundance of floral floats and dancers that parade along Victoria Avenue.

Russell Labey said the change had been considered by exhibitors and organisers for "a long, long time".

He said: "It just simply doesn't make sense to hold an event when most people are working, and we really want to improve access to battle and we think this is the best way.

"It brings communities together of all ages of all demographics on a creative endeavour. It sells 20,000 plus tickets every year, it still produces spectacular exhibits and as a by-product is a tourism event and we need that."

The Battle of Flowers has been held on a Thursday and Friday for more than 120 years

Traditionally, the day parade would start at 14:30 BST on the second Thursday of August, but now it will take place from 18:00 on a Friday.

Mr Labey said there had been a "feeling for some time" to make the change.

He said: "Thursday afternoons are not what they used to be when I was a kid, all the shops shut on a Thursday afternoon, the banks were closed, all companies were closed, that doesn't happen anymore.

"It's just a normal Thursday afternoon and it's just crazy for us to hold an event that is subsidised by the government, by the taxpayer, we shouldn't be holding that at the time most taxpayers are at work."

Event director at the Battle of Flowers, Jackie Donald, said it was better to have "tried and failed, than not to have tried at all"

Jackie Donald, event director, said the Battle of Flowers needed to "move with the times" and become a "weekend festival" instead.

"Obviously it's never been trialled like this so it will be different, but you can spend your day on the beach and then come down and celebrate... I think it will be more of a carnival festival feel about it," she said.

Ms Donald said it was better to have "tried and failed, than not to have tried at all".

"If it doesn't work, we change things and that's what you've got to do, and I think possibly battle has stayed the same for many, many years now, and it's time that it just moved and changed with the way of the world," she said.

Steven Ahearne, head of St Peter's battle association, said he hoped breaking tradition would encourage more spectators to the event

Steven Ahearne, chairperson for the St Peter's battle association, said a drop in spectators was "apparent" for the 2022 festival.

He said: "I think it's a good idea to try something different and to see if we can get the people back out there to support such a wonderful event.

"In order to make the battle a big thing again, it's trying to encourage the locals to come across and have a look and see what it's all about."

'Evolve and change'

Graham Gibson, from St Clement's battle association, said the change could keep the event "at the heart of island life".

He said: "We know that things are changing, tourism isn't the same as it was all those years ago when we had 60,000 spectators at battle, islanders don't get a half day for battle necessarily if they're working.

"I'm excited, I think like everything you have to evolve and change, you try new things and you hope that people will buy into it and support it, there's so many good people involved in battle in all these teams of volunteers across the island, and it really deserves to stay at the heart of island life."

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