County Durham celebrates King Charles III's Coronation

World Heritage Site Durham Cathedral, and Durham and Bishop Auckland Town Halls, joined in the fun; with the former lit in the colours of the Union Jack and the two venues, which we run, both bearing projections of images of the newly-crowned King.

And around the county, Coronation street parties and parades were held as people marked the occasion in different ways.

Our Chairman Cllr Joan Nicholson said: "The crowning of King Charles III was a significant event in our nation's history and what a weekend we have had here in County Durham to celebrate.

"Durham Cathedral, lit in red, white and blue, looked amazing and the images of the King beamed onto Durham and Bishop Auckland Town Halls felt like a perfect way to mark the Coronation.

"We know people were going to Coronation street parties across the weekend and I hope everyone enjoyed the occasion however they celebrated."

The lighting up of the town halls by us was supported by The Northern Echo, which supplied the images to be projected onto the buildings.

The light theme also spread to Spennymoor, where a rotating image of the King's Royal Insignia was visible in the town's High Street.

Elsewhere, dance troupe Spark! performed two shows in Durham's Millennium Place, with again a projection of an image of the King visible on Clayport Library during the performances. The performances were organised by the City of Durham Parish Council, with funding from us.

Street parties across the county were held with support from our highways team, which processed applications for road closures to allow the celebrations to happen.

Marking the occasion

Schools and nurseries across County Durham also marked the Coronation, through events and activities such as tea parties and Union Jack-themed non-uniform days. Durham Youth Council hosted an intergenerational street party, at which members were joined by residents of care homes in the Stanley area.

Meanwhile, projects to create lasting legacies to the Coronation are continuing across the county beyond the weekend.

Cllr Nicholson visited our Hardwick Park at Sedgefield to plant a special King's Oak tree to mark the crowning of the new Monarch. These trees have also been planted at our Wharton and Riverside Parks, in Durham City and Chester-le-Street respectively.

Plans are also in place for Coronation-themed floral displays in Durham City, including at Gilesgate and North Road roundabouts. Red, white and blue bedding plants have been ordered and will adorn floral displays across the county. 

Our local members are also continuing to help communities to mark the Coronation through a fund that will facilitate celebrations until the end of this year. Over 80 applications have been received so far, with projects including the organising of commemorative medals to be given to schoolchildren.