WATCH
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Watch
footage of last year's Battle
Launch
the Console
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ALSO |
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Battle
of Flowers 2003
It's
Battle week, and competitors are working night and day to
get the floats finished in time for Thursday's parade.
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Picture
Galleries
Take a look at our Battle Nostalgia Gallery, featuring pictures
from times past |
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Jersey
Government
Find out about the States of Jersey and its officials |
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闯猫谤谤颈补颈蝉
The unique language of Jersey - otherwise known as Jersey-Norman
French
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| WEB
LINKS |
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The 91福利社 is not responsible for the content
of external websites. |
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| FACTS |
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The
floats are adapted from motorised vehicles. A frame of welded
reinforced rods, timber and chicken wire is added to this,
with the flowers then attached to the frame |
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It
takes a large range of talents to make the floats - sound
engineers, electricians, and plumbers are always needed! |
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Although
the float itself is made throughout the year, the flowers
are not glued on until the night before the Battle |
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Many
prizes are awarded to the floats - the most sought after being
the Prix d'Honneur and the Prix d'Honneur de Papier |
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Paper
floats first appeared in 1978, meaning that smaller clubs
could participate |
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Miss
Jersey Battle of Flowers made her first appearance in 1953.
Her escort, Mr Battle, appeared in 1954 |
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| PRINT
THIS PAGE |
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a printable
version of this page. |
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The
Battle began as a flower parade, but along the route the flowers
were torn off and thrown to the spectators. They threw them back,
and the Battle was born.
The
event was so successful that the islanders decided to hold it annually.
During World War I the
Battle ended, but it was revived in 1926.
After
the war
Its
popularity had declined, although a smaller event continued to take
place until World War II.
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| The
Optimists float |
After
the war, local businessmen thought that the Battle could help tourism
in the island. The Battle returned in 1951, and was a great success.
The
following year, the Battle's Golden Jubilee coincided with the coronation
of Queen Elizabeth.
It
was decided that the Battle should be bigger and better, with 100
floats taking part - most of them motorised.
The
Battle in the 60's and 70's
The
Battle continued to grow in popularity during the 1960's, when it
was attracting audiences of about 60,000.
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| Secret
Garden |
In
1964 it was decided that the Battle (in its literal sense) should
be stopped, as it was getting too unruly.
A
new finale was introduced - Petals from Heaven - when paper petals
were dropped from aeroplanes. This wasn't always successful though
because of wind conditions!
The
Battle today
Nowadays
the Battle of Flowers is still a popular event, regularly attracting
30,000 people each year. It takes place on the 2nd Thursday of August,
with a moonlight parade the next evening.
The
Battle celebrated its centenary in 2002, with many floats taking
the 100 year birthday as the theme for their design.
Find
out about the 2003 celebrations.
Battle nostalgia
Take
a look at our Battle Nostalgia Gallery, featuring pictures of Battles
from times past. Do you have pictures of previous Battles? We would
love to include them in our Battle Nostalgia Gallery. Click
here to go to the gallery.
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