Events

King’s Lynn Hanse Festival

Sunday 12 June 2022

The Hanse Festival Regatta, organised by Wells and King’s Lynn Coastal Rowing Club, will be held over both days of the weekend (11 and 12 June) and will feature boats from all over the country. At 2:30pm on Saturday 11 June the Baden Powell will set sail and the first race on the River Great Ouse will be held at 3pm.

On Sunday 12 June, at 11:30 the ‘Parade of Flags’ that showcases all of the Hanseatic countries will leave the Tuesday Market Place. Supported by the Hanseatic Union, flag bearers from many countries will head through King's Lynn town centre towards the historic Saturday Market Place and onto the quayside.

From 11:50am on King’s Staithe Square there will be traditional Latvian dancing, followed by live music on stage from the Pot of Gold Shanty Crew, Bruther Will and Good Company.

Music will be playing, people representing Hanseatic nations will be waving flags and thanks to Rachael Williams, the Learning and Engagement Officer from Stories of Lynn, children can get involved with activities on King’s Staithe Square including a Walking Boat procession from the Tuesday Market Place through the town to King’s Staithe Square.

Rachael said, “I can’t wait for this year’s Hanse Festival. We have chocolate cakes to decorate, a range of fun outdoor games to play, Hanse badges to design and make and the popular junk model boat making where children can use the junk to build their own little boat and test it on the mini-river. It is going to be great!”

When the bands stop, the second day of racing on the river begins, with the final race finishing at 6pm.

Popular events from previous festivals return, including Discover Hanseatic Lynn walks and lectures at Marriott’s Warehouse.

The King’s Lynn Town Guides will lead the ‘Discover Hanseatic Lynn’ walks. Walks are free to attend but must be booked at the Tourist Information Centre inside Stories of Lynn.

Platinum Jubilee Celebration

Bank Holiday Thursday 2 June

King’s Staithe Square

The long weekend starts at 4pm with fairy-tale characters as Princesses and Queens visit King’s Staithe Square, King’s Lynn. A sing-a-long follows at 5:30pm. Live music will be performed on stage from 6:30pm with sets from Bear Club and, in a welcome return to King’s Lynn having headlined Fawkes in the Walks, The Chebbs.

A Civic parade will arrive in King’s Staithe Square at 9:35pm led by a bagpiper, in readiness for lighting the King’s Lynn beacon at 9:45pm. Beacons will also be lit at the same time in Downham Market and Hunstanton.

The evening will finish with fireworks.

Bank Holiday Friday 3 June

Town Centre and King’s Staithe Square

A Queen's Jubilee Parade will march through King’s Lynn and will include cadets from sea, army, air, police and fire. Guides, scouts and St John Ambulance. Planned to be the biggest parade that King’s Lynn has ever seen.

At 11:50am 200 young people will gather on the Quayside before parading through town. All afternoon and evening there will be live music on King’s Staithe Square and activities for children, including the chance to: make a decorated golden crown and a shining sword, to decorate their own commemorative Jubilee mug; pose for a photo on a throne; design a pair of Queen’s Knickers; make some bead jewellery fit for a queen; and enjoy some outdoor games, all on King’s Staithe Square.

Saturday 4 June

King’s Staithe Square and Alive Corn Exchange in the Tuesday Market Place

The party starts in King's Staithe Square from noon and will include sets from the UK's award winning pop and rock band Boogie Monsters who bring fun, high-energy and interactive live music for young children and their families. Followed by upbeat party music for the whole family until 10pm. There will be activities such as Jubilee hat decorating, drawing of the HM Queen Elizabeth and outdoor games to play for children to enjoy during the day too, organised by Rachael Williams, Learning and Engagement Officer at Stories of Lynn.

The Alive Corn Exchange will be serving cake, pastries and tea or coffee and showing the BBC TV Platinum Jubilee coverage. There is also free entry to watch a film about the Coronation in 1953, called A Queen is Crowned. Screenings start at 10am, 12noon, 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. As an added bonus, In the lobby of the Corn Exchange there will be a 10minute film show of images of the Queen and Royal Family in West Norfolk collated by the Heritage sites around the town.

Sunday 5 June

The Walks

Picnic and fun-day in The Walks in partnership with the King’s Lynn Lions and Radio West Norfolk. Families are invited to sit in the park and enjoy all it has to offer from lunchtime until 6pm.

To add to the carnival atmosphere created by the four-day funfair that runs from Thursday 2 June, on Sunday there are free activities for children including Crazy Golf to play near the Walks Café, Union Jack face painting and family trips on Lenny the land-train as it tours the park.

Entertainment on the arena in The Walks will be hosted by Simon Rowe from Radio West Norfolk and includes The Imps Motorcycle Display Team, Bluey The Clown and live music from Abba Chique tribute band.