BRING your Golden Jubilee street party to the seaside – and make it the biggest knees-up ever!That's the message today from organisers of Felixstowe's celebrations of the Queen's 50 years on the throne as they prepare a ten-hour extravaganza of music, entertainment and fun to be staged on the seafront.

By Richard Cornwell

BRING your Golden Jubilee street party to the seaside – and make it the biggest knees-up ever!

That's the message today from organisers of Felixstowe's celebrations of the Queen's 50 years on the throne as they prepare a ten-hour extravaganza of music, entertainment and fun to be staged on the seafront.

The resort has been chosen as a BBC Music Live! event and will be featured on regional and national TV.

More than 20,000 people are expected to flock to the resort for the day and organisers say it could be the perfect day-out for jubilee celebrations.

"We would say to people, bring your street party to Felixstowe and have it on the beach," said organiser Les Arbon.

"Instead of worrying about street closure orders and entertainment, we can provide all that. All people need to do is bring a picnic and sit on the beach or in the gardens with their friends, relatives and neighbours and have a great time.

"There will be so much to see and do, or people can just lay back and listen to the music and chat."

Mr Arbon said there had been a "tremendous response" so far to the event, which is set to cost around £20,000 to put on.

"I have had a large number of bands coming forward wanting to play, but I still need more," he said.

"We plan to have seven stages or areas where groups will play, and it will take hundreds of musicians to keep up the music for ten hours."

The event – which is being held over the June 3-4 jubilee weekend – will see the whole of the seafront, from Undercliff Road East to Charles Manning's Amusement Park alive with bands.

There will also be street entertainers such as fire eaters, jugglers, buskers, Punch and Judy, a karaoke marathon, stalls, majorettes, refreshments, amusements, and an It's A Knockout contest.

In the evening, while the music continues, there will be fireworks and the lighting of a beacon as part of the national chain following the lighting of the first by the Queen.

Mr Arbon, the show co-ordinator and fundraiser, who is liaising closely with Suffolk Coastal, the BBC, promoters and artistes, said the aim was to feature as many different kinds of music as possible, and also youth.

There would be brass bands, jazz, country and western, pop-rock, folk, and ethnic cultural artistes.

He still needs bands of all kinds, especially jazz, country and western, and music from different countries.

Children from schools, guides, cub packs, and other youth organisations are also needed to take part in a song which will be broadcast live as part of a national montage of music to launch the event.

Acts taking part so far include Chas and Dave, Loaded, Shattered, and Crazy Horses.

Anyone who is able to help or would like to take part in the day should contact Mr Arbon on 01394 270745 or 07880 976788 or by e-mail, les@searleuk.com

WEBLINKS: www.bbc.co.uk/musiclive

www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk

www.goldenjubileesummerparty.co.uk