As the big day gets closer, The Stray Ferret is compiling a list of events across the district to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.

If you have an event that you wish to include in our list, please send the details to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Thursday, May 4

Ripon 

5.30-6.15pm – Ripon Cathedral: A coronation-themed evensong service will be held at the Cathedral.

Knaresborough

Flowers in the shape of the coronation crown will be on display at the Market Cross in Knaresborough until May 13.

Friday, May 5 

Harrogate

7pm – St Wilfred’s Church, Duchy Road: Solemn Festival Mass for the Coronation followed by barbecue supper at 8.30pm. Tickets £15 to include food and welcome drink. Contact bookings@stwilfrid.org for tickets.

Killinghall

7.30pm-11pm – Killinghall Village Hall: A coronation ceilidh with The Dark Horse Ceilidh Bank. Drinks will be available at the cricket club bar and a pizza van will be on site. Adults £5, children go free. For details, click here.

Ripon

5.30-6.15pm – Ripon Cathedral: An evensong service with Coronation Vigil will be held at the cathedral ahead of the royal ceremony.

6.30pm: Tribute bands playing live in the Market Place.

Saturday, May 6  Coronation Day 

Harrogate

10am-8pm – Valley Gardens: A big screen showing the coronation and other coverage of events in London, followed by family films. Family entertainment, fairground rides. Entry is free.

10am-6pm – Valley Gardens: Little Bird Artisan Market will be held alongside the coronation celebrations in Valley Gardens.

Time TBC – Majestic Hotel: A big screen showing the coronation, along with family entertainment and the chance to win prizes. Bring a picnic blanket and deckchairs, and you can buy food and drink from the hotel throughout the day. Free to attend. For more information click here. 

Noon-midnight – The Oatlands: Family open day with children’s entertainment, barbecue and an evening party. For more information go to www.theoatlands.co.uk/.

Killinghall

2.30-8.30pm – Killinghall Cricket Club: Bring a picnic and enjoy some games at the Killinghall Big Lunch Picnic. The bar will be open.

Knaresborough

10am-5pm – Knaresborough House: A big screen will stream the Coronation, as well as two family films on the day. People are welcome to bring picnics, but food and drink stalls will also be available at the free event.

10am-4pm – Castle Yard: Little Bird Artisan Market will be held as part of the coronation celebrations.

7pm – Gracious Street Methodist Church live streaming the Coronation Prom  from the Royal Albert Hall in London from 7.00pm (concert starts at 7.30pm). Admission is free.

Langthorpe

Langhthorpe Parish Council, in conjunction with the Coronation Hall trustees, will be opening the the Coronation Hall with live coverage on a big screen. Drinks and nibbles will be provided. 100 free tickets will be provided on a first come first served basis.

Lofthouse

3pm – coronation celebration at the cricket ground. Races, activities and game from 3.20pm, dog show at 5pm and disco 6pm to midnight.

Masham

2-6pm – Swinton Park: Live music, garden fete activities and a variety of food and drink will all be on offer in the hotel grounds. The event is free to attend and the gardens will be open throughout the day for visitors to enjoy.

Nidderdale

4-10pm – The Queen’s Head Inn, Kettlesing: The Acoustic and Rock Cover Party. Various local musicians will perform covers of classic rock and acoustic hits. Afternoon tea is included in the ticket price, which is £25 (£15 for under 14s).

Ripon

9.30am onwards – Ripon Cathedral: A live stream of the BBC’s coverage of the coronation will be shown at the Cathedral. It it free to attend and there will be free self-service refreshments available.

Sunday, May 7

Beckwithshaw

2pm-4.30pm – Beckwithshaw Village Hall field: Afternoon tea. Bring a picnic, have fun with games and races. Tea, coffee and squash will be provided.

Harrogate

10am-7pm – Valley Gardens: Family entertainment, fairground rides,. Entry is free.

10am – 4pm – Valley Gardens: Little Bird Artisan Market will be held alongside the coronation celebrations in Valley Gardens.

12pm onwards – Majestic Hotel: Music from DJ Mark Green. Bring a picnic blanket and deckchairs, and you can buy food and drink from the hotel throughout the day. Free to attend.

4pm-midnight – Ivory: Charles and Camilla Go Large. A night of 90s house music with DJs Delano and Millsy

Kirby Hill

Coronation tea will be held at the church in Kirby Hill. Everyone is welcome.

Kirkby Malzeard

1pm onwards – Highside playing fields: Friendship lunch party: Bring a chair, food and drink for a party that includes Maypole dancing, music and children’s activities.

Knaresborough  

6pm-11pm – The Coronation Concert will be screened live at Knaresborough Castle.

Masham

2.30pm onwards – Masham Square: Celebrations including a parade of floats, fancy dress competition, barbecue, live music and a quiz, ending with a firework display. Click here for details.

Nidderdale

12-6pm – The Queen’s Head Inn, Kettlesing: The Jazz Blues and Brass Extravaganza. Performances will be held by Eugine’s Jazz Band and Harrogate Jazz Band, with a carvery lunch included. Ticket prices begin at £15.

Noon-3pm – Pateley Bridge Recreation Ground: The Big Lunch. Bring a picnic and enjoy live music from Ant & Frank and Dacre & Summerbridge Silver Band. Free entry.

North Rigton

Noon onwards: Village garden, North Rigton: North Rigton Parish Council is hosting the big coronation lunch. Bring a picnic or join friends for a meal.

Pannal and Burn Bridge

Noon-5pm – Crimple Meadows: Family fun day including food and drinks, licensed bar, fun races and tug of war. Cake sale, raffle and bouncy castle will also be on site. There will also be fundraising for local causes. Admission is free.

Ripon

1pm-6pm – Street party on Carr Close.

Last year’s jubilee street party on Carr Close was such a success, it’s happening again.

Spofforth

7pm-11pm – Celebrations will take place in front of Spofforth Castle. Gates open at 7pm, bring a picnic or enjoy on-site caterers with pizzas, crepes, ice cream and coffee. There will be circus entertainers and face painting plus a jazz band followed by the group Beatlemania playing sets of the Fab Four, finishing at 11pm with fireworks over Spofforth Castle. Stockeld Park is illuminating the castle in red, white and blue. Tickets available from the village shop.

Boroughbridge

10am – St Andrew’s Church, Aldborough: A service to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, hosted by the Mayor of Boroughbridge, Cllr Sean Hynes, and Rev Karen Gardiner. Visitors are asked to be seated by 9.45am.

Monday, May 8 – The Big Help Out 

Harrogate 

10am-4.30pm – Valley Gardens: Family entertainment, fairground rides, Little Bird Artisan Market. Entry is free.

1pm-2pm – Wesley Chapel: Coronation-themed song recital with Gareth Brynmor John (baritone) and Christopher Glynn (piano). Tickets £10 on the door.

1-3pm – Oatlands Community Centre: Afternoon tea and community barbecue with crafts, face painting and other activities. Free.

Kirkby Malzeard

12pm-2pm – Mechanics Institute and around the village: The Big Help Out – assist a neighbour with weeding, sweeping or odd jobs and village litter picking. Refreshments at the Mechanics Institute.

Masham

Noon onwards – Masham Square: Family fun day with car boot sale, sports, a tug-of-war, welly wanging and a cow pat competition. Click here for details.

Nidderdale

1pm onwards – Glasshouses Village Green: Live music, children’s activities, and tea and cake, hosted by Glasshouses WI and Village Association. Bring a picnic and Prosecco to toast the King. Donations will be made to IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Service). Free to attend.

4-10pm – The Queen’s Head Inn, Kettlesing: The Tribute Band Party will see an afternoon of tributes to the likes of ABBA and The Beatles. A hog roast is included in the ticket price, which begins at £15.

Ripon

11.30am-5pm – Ripon Cathedral: Bank holiday Monday will see the Coronation Beer Festival take place in the grounds of the Cathedral.

Starbeck

10am-2pm – St Andrew’s Church, High Street: The Big Help Out – get involved with volunteering to improve the area. Plenty for all ages to do, and a family picnic on Belmont Field.

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.  

Today, May 6, 2023, is a milestone in British history, the coronation of a new King after 71 years since King George VI who reigned from 1936 to 1952.

It’s also the D-day for my first food feature, which I am honoured coincides with the King’s coronation and I couldn’t be prouder.

It’s only fitting that this feature celebrates the King’s coronation. My son, as part of Blackburn Cathedral choir, sang for Prince Charles many moons ago and I was opportune to be a Princes Trust mentor for some years.

Many of us only knew the Queen growing up and even though we knew this day had to come, we clung on in hope for our Queen to live as long as possible. God rest her soul.

Today’s celebration calls for something special. The Royal family has never failed to inspire, and make us proud when it comes to pomp and pageantry; this time will be no different.

We can’t think of things that are quintessentially British without certain foods or ingredients coming to mind: afternoon tea, asparagus, rhubarb, quiches, coronation chicken and my favourite which is Victoria sponge cake.

So, in celebration of the King’s coronation, it’s only fitting that we have a dish that screams ‘British’ but also reminds us of the Commonwealth nations that are part of this celebration. The King and the Queen Consort have asked for quiche to be on the coronation menu.

The quiche, a staple in many homes and pub menus, is mostly served cold but I love to eat mine when it is slightly warm. Eating quiche feels a tad more elevated than eating cold sandwiches which I personally find to be soul crushing.

Here’s my version of quiche created to celebrate the King’s coronation. It is a play on coronation chicken using ingredients and some bold flavours of many Commonwealth nations.

Curried chicken, onions, peppers, and chilli Quiche

Ingredients:

Quiche base

250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry

Quiche Filling – for a 23-inch pan or two 15-inch pans

Poached or Roasted Chicken – breasts or thighs – 100g

1 red pointed pepper or bell pepper

1 medium red onion

½ chilli – chipotle, habanero, or scotch bonnet

2 eggs

125ml of milk

175ml of double cream

100g of grated cheddar cheese

Tart base – using short crust pastry

1 tsp of curry powder

½ tsp Kashmiri pepper flakes

Smoked sea salt to taste

½ tsp of fresh mixed herbs – parsley, thyme, and rosemary

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C
2. Roll out the dough into your quiche tin and line with baking paper; add some baking stones and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and stones
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C
4. Cook and shred the chicken or use leftovers from your roast chicken dinner
5. Add a little oil to a pan over high heat; fry the sliced onions, chillies, and pepper; season with salt and curry powder; add in the shredded chicken and cook for 3 minutes allowing the flavours to infuse into the chicken. Set aside to cool down
6. Beat the milk, cream, eggs, Kashmiri pepper, herbs, and salt together in a bowl
7. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, evenly top with the chicken and peppers before adding the custard mixture
8. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly golden. Check at the 25-minute mark.

Tips for getting a great pasty base: 

Serve warm with some salad, spiced chips, and curry-mayo.

Long live the King! Happy celebrations!

Read More: 

• Coronation events: where to celebrate across the Harrogate district
• Hot Seat: Bringing Ripon firm Farmison back to life

The standard of entries was high and the competition was fierce but the final decision was down to Stray Ferret readers.

The Ogden competition to design a crown fit for a King was won by 6 year old Max Boocock from Ripley Endowed Primary School and Alexander Tasevzki from the sixth form of Springwater School for children with a wide range of learning difficulties.

Around 130 children submitted entries for the competition to place their crowns in the window of Odgen Jewellers on James Street in Harrogate.

Six entries were short-listed by the judges and then it was left to the public to pick the two winners.  Six and a half thousand people voted for their favourite.

Judge Robert Ogden said he was impressed with the winning designs.

“We were really amazed at the qualities of the entries and the variety- also the imagination of some of them. Max’s entry is almost worthy of Philip Treacy. It’s got that amazing flamboyance to it, it is a real fashion piece. We are thrilled for him. It looks wonderful next to the Imperial State Crown replica in the window.

“The high school entries were again a very difficult decision to choose the ones we thought stood out the most. I just loved the creativity of Alexander’s – the way the shapes were created from his hands and just the wonderful gem work was done. The rubies are in sort of intersecting lines, it was just a really nice tasteful style with a modern twist. We nice to see next to our crown.”

Max’s mother Emily said her son wanted his crown to be joyful

“Max wanted his crown to be colourful and vibrant, he wanted everyone who comes across his crown to smile.

“He says it’s a different shape to most crowns you see and he thinks that is what makes it truly unique, he hopes one day that the King may actually wear it!!”

The winning crowns will be in the window until 13 May.

To celebrate Charles III’s coronation, the Stray Ferret and Ogden of Harrogate are holding a competition for children to design two crowns fit for the royal occasion.

The lucky winners will have their dazzling crowns displayed in Ogden of Harrogate’s shop window – showcased alongside Ogden’s very own Imperial State Crown.

We’re inviting school pupils of all ages to get creative. Two winners will be selected: one of primary school age and one of secondary school age.

We will be posting photos of entries regularly across on our social media channels during the competition – so, the more the merrier.

The Ogden Crown: 

Traditional luxury jeweller, Ogden of Harrogate, was founded in 1893 by James Ogden.

The company established its royal connections nearly a century ago, after Prince George, son of George V and Queen Mary, became a frequent customer of the St James’s store in London.

In celebration of George VI’s Coronation in 1937, Ogden of Harrogate’s team hand-crafted two replicas of the Imperial State Crown.

One of Ogden of Harrogate’s replica crowns.

The jewels on the crown mirror those in the Royal crown, including the Cullinan 2 diamond – a cut from the largest diamond ever discovered.

The Ogden crowns boast exact replicas of the diamonds, ruby’s, pearls, emeralds, and sapphires found in the Imperial State Crown.

Robert Ogden, director of Ogden of Harrogate, said:

“It is a treat to have the crown out.

“It is only on display during Royal occasions”.

How to Enter:

To enter: please submit a photo of your crown drawing, painting or creation to our website here.

The competition will run from March 27 until April 21.

The crowns will be on display in the Harrogate store from 28 April until 13 May.

Will you be crowned a winner…?

Villagers aged 10 and upwards in Kirkby Malzeard and Sharow are being invited to learn how to Ring for the King.

With the coronation of Charles III just three months away, Jonathan Couchman of the Two Dales ringers group, based in Wensleydale and Swaledale, is keen for new bellringers to be in place for the occasion.

Mr Couchman said:

“The online sessions will begin in mid-February and will be supplemented by hands-on training in the dales’ bell towers.

“All in the two dales are most welcome to attend but we are especially seeking new ringers for Sharow and Kirkby Malzeard.”

Bell ringers in action

Mr Couchman, added:

“The bell towers participating in this course include those at the churches of Askrigg, Aysgarth, Grinton, East Witton, Masham, Kirkby Malzeard and Sharow. People living within reach of those churches are particularly welcome to participate in the course.

The Wensleydale and Swaledale bell ringers first ran their introductory online course in 2021 and, following a successful launch, repeated the course in 2022.

For hundreds of years church bells have rung out, not only as a call to worship, but also to proclaim special events.

In June bell ringers celebrated the Queen’s platinum jubilee with the sound of bells and in September the bells rang as a mark of respect following her passing..

Mr Couchman said:

“Bell ringing is a team activity that keeps your brain active and your body agile. It does not require great strength and we have had children as young as 10 learning in Wensleydale. Many others learn in retirement.”

The online course comprises five interactive sessions that will include online ringing for all participants as well as an informative presentation. Attendees will be put in touch with a local bell tower where they will be taught hands-on bell ringing and invited to join the regular bell band.

For further information message the Wensleydale Ringers on Facebook or email David Scrutton at wensleydaleringers@gmail.com.