Chester’s Jubilee Gates are set to take a starring role in Christmas Events taking place in the city-centre this year.
The temporary wooden gates will feature in the Lantern Parade on Thursday 1st December, when the giant Queen of Light will enter the city via the Eastgate at 6.45pm and join the popular procession.
The gates will be specially painted silver and white on this occasion and opened by a team of costumed personnel.
The next appearance of the gates will take place on Thursday 15th December as part of the spectacular Festival of Saturnalia, when a procession of Roman Soldiers carrying flaming torches will enter Chester via the Eastgate, the site of the original entrance to the Fortress of Deva 2000 years ago.
The Roman Legionaries will pass under the Eastgate at 6.45pm through gates decorated with their imperial motifs and march via St Werburgh Street to the Town Hall, where they will join up with the Winter Watch Parade at 7pm for its noisy, anarchic and colourful procession along the main thoroughfares.
Gordon Vickers, Chairman of the Chester Jubilee Gates Steering Group said: ‘ We are delighted to be able to provide the temporary wooden gates to support the city’s Christmas events programme. They will add a bright, new dimension to Chester’s seasonal festivities and strengthen their appeal to spectators’.
He added: ‘ Our long-term vision is to provide an ornate set of gates that will enhance the city’s current events programme and facilitate the creation of more opportunities for street theatre, which appears to be in line with the aspirations of the Council’s Chester Heritage and Arts Strategy.
We are currently working on the designs for a permanent set of gates at the Eastgate to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee under the famous clock that was created to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 60 year reign’.
