Jersey Battle of Flowers

The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey on the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music, funfairs, dancers, majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969 when 60,000 people were present.[1] Current spectator numbers are around 20,000.

Battle of Flowers
'In Flanders Fields' by The Optimists Club - Winners of 2018 Jersey Battle of Flowers Prix d'Honneur, Spectactors' Award and Owen Wiscombe Design Award
Date(s)Second Thursday & Friday of August each Year
Location(s)Jersey
Years active118
InauguratedAugust 9, 1902 (1902-08-09)
Attendance14,000
Websitewww.battleofflowers.com

The major floats are usually produced by the parishes of Jersey.

The 'Battle' itself originally consisted of dismantling the floats to provide floral ammunition for a literal battle of flowers between participants and spectators, but this aspect has long been abandoned. Since 1989, a nighttime Moonlight Parade with the floats festooned in lights has been introduced. The Moonlight Parade ends with a fireworks display. Recent years have seen higher turnouts to the moonlight parade, which attracts locals as well as tourists possibly due to its party atmosphere.

History

The first Battle of Flowers was held on 9 August 1902 on Victoria Avenue, Saint Helier. The First World War interrupted the tradition and it was not until 1928 that the Battle was revived at Springfield where it was held until 1938. The threat of war meant the 1939 event was abandoned and it was not until 1951 that the event was revived back on Victoria Avenue, where it was held for many years on the last Thursday in July (since moved to its current date).[2]

In 1964 the event was attended by around 50,000 people.[3]

The ongoing outbreak of coronavirus caused the very first cancellation of the Battle since its revival in 1951.

Prizes

Prizes are awarded in numerous categories, with their names in French, for floats of different sizes and types. Listed here are the main prizes with the Prix d’Honneur being the overall winner.

2018
'In Flanders Fields' by The Optimists Club - Winners of 2018 Jersey Battle of Flowers Prix d'Honneur, Spectactors' Award and Owen Wiscombe Design Award

Winners at the 2018 Battle of Flowers included:[4]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club – "In Flanders Fields"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St Clement – "Into the Woods"
  • Prix D’Honneur de Papier: Parish of St Helier – "The Willow Pattern"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Trinity – "La Cage aux Folles"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Whiteside Family and Friends - "Neverland"
  • Prix de Mérite: Grouville Juniors – "Thill'ar"
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "In Flanders Fields"
  • Design Award (over 30 ft) : The Optimists Club - "In Flanders Fields"
  • Design Award (under 25 ft) : Grouville Juniors – "Thill'ar"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 30 ft): Parish of St. Helier - "The Willow Pattern"
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25 ft): Grouville Juniors – "Thill'ar"

2016

Winners at the 2016 Battle of Flowers included:[5]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club – "Ghost Ship"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St Clement – "Go West"
  • Prix D’Honneur de Papier: Parish of St Helier – "Alice in Wonderland"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville – "Latin Fantasy"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Adrian and Friends - ‘Spellbound’
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad – 'Eastern Promise'
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Ghost Ship"

2015

Winners at the 2015 Battle of Flowers included:

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club – "Eye of the Tiger"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Brelade - "Dragonara"
  • Prix D’Honneur de Papier: Parish of St Helier – "SS Vega"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of St. Peters – "Cuban Cocktail"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Adrian and Friends - "Scooby Doo & The Haunted Mansion"
  • Prix de Mérite: Whiteside Family & Friends – "Hakuna Matata"
  • Prix Décor: St Saviour's Juniors - "Yabbad Abbadoo"
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Eye of the Tiger"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club "Eye of the Tiger"
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25 ft): The Optimists Club Juniors – "Jolly Roger"

2014

Winners at the 2014 Battle of Flowers included:[6]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club[7] 'Fire Cracker'
  • Prix d'Excellence: St Clement's 'The Snow Queen'
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: St Brelade's ‘Matryoshka’
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends ‘Fillmore at Motor Mall’
  • Prix de Mérite: St Saviour's ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’
  • Prix Décor: St Saviour's Juniors ‘Wacky Races’Yabbad Abbadoo
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club ‘Fire Cracker’
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club ‘Fire Cracker’
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25 ft): Adrian and Friends Juniors 'Fillmore at Motor Mall'

2013

Winners at the 2013 Battle included:[8]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club[7] ‘Beyond the Barricade’
Optimists Club 2013 Prix d'Honneur Winning Entry 'Beyond the Barricade' at Moonlight Parade - Best Illuminated Float over 25ft
  • Prix d'Excellence: St Brelade's ‘Chang’
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: St Clement's ‘Elephanta’
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends ‘Who's Who’
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad ‘Sweeps ‘N’ All’
  • Prix Décor: St Saviour's ‘Never Ending Stories’
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club ‘Beyond the Barricade’
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club ‘Beyond the Barricade’
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25 ft): Parish of St. Peter Juniors ‘Mary Poppins'

2012

Winners at the 2012 Battle included:[9]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" [10]
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement - "Neverland"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of St. Brelade - "Shangri-La"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends - "S-Car-Go"
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends - "Gnomeville"
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad - "Jack O'Lantern"
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines"
  • Best Illuminated Float (under 25 ft): Parish of St. Peter - "The Muppet Show"

2011

Winners at the 2011 Battle included:[11]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement - "Wonderland"
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Wild Wild West"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob Adrian and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Gallard

. Spectators Award : Parish of St.Clement - Wonderland

2010

Winners at the 2010 Battle included:[12]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement - "Shen Lung"
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Showboat"
  • Prix Decor: The Henwood Ensemble
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: The Jersey Young Farmers Club
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Parish of Grouville (Juniors)
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Showboat"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Showboat"

2009
Battle of Flowers parade, December 13, 2009, Saint Helier, Jersey

Winners at the 2009 Battle included:[13]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Saviour - "Hanamachi"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement - "Olympus"
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: The Optimists Club - "Court Jesters"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Trinity - Themed on 50 years of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Court Jesters"

2008

Winners at the 2008 Battle included:[14]

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Circus"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Saint Saviour
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Jersey Young Farmers Club
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Friends of Galaad
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Circus"

2007
Teddy's Toytime by St Martin, 2007

Winners at the 2007 Battle included:[15]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Valhalla"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Rob, Adrian and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: John Le Cornu Family and Friends
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Valhalla"

2006
A Gnome sits fishing from his toadstool on the Grouville Too Float, 2006

Winners at the 2006 Battle included:[1]

  • Prix d'Honneur: Parish of St. Clement
  • Prix d'Excellence: The Optimists Club - "Off The Rails"
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Trinity
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Mary Bidan and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Grouville Too
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Off The Rails"

2005

Winners at the 2005 Battle included:

  • Prix d'Honneur: The Optimists Club - "Merry Christmas"
  • Prix d'Excellence: Parish of St. Clement
  • Grand Prix des Paroisses: Parish of Grouville
  • Grand Prix des Fleurs: Mary Bidan and Friends
  • Prix d'Honneur de Papier: Peter Heath Family and Friends
  • Prix de Mérite: Optimists Juniors
  • Spectators' Award: The Optimists Club - "Merry Christmas"
  • Best Illuminated Float (over 25 ft): The Optimists Club - "Merry Christmas"

Miss Battle of Flowers and Mr Battle

As of 2018 the role of Miss Battle has been replaced with 'Jersey Battle of Flowers Ambassador’ open to both genders, this was to avoid the stereotyping of a beauty pageant. The Ambassador role is open to any young person between the ages of 17 and 25 years who have been ordinarily resident in Jersey for at least two years.

A competition to select a Miss Battle was held, each year, in the months preceding the Battle. The competition involves a set of contests held in each of the parishes. A winner is selected in each parish, and these ladies are entered into the final competition to select the year's Miss Battle of Flowers.

Miss Battle of Flowers, the overall winner of the Miss Parish contests, rides on her own specially made float. There was also formerly a Maid of Honour who rode with the Miss Battle but this has now been replaced with the Jersey Battle of Flowers Consort. The tradition of having a Mr Battle to escort Miss Battle was in abeyance for a number of years, but Kyran Bracken revived the rôle in 2007, and 2008 saw Christopher Biggins occupying the role. In 2009 Marco Pierre White took the role; in 2010 it was Danny Young, and in 2011 Gareth Gates.

The table below lists some years, but is not a complete list.

Miss Battle winners by year
Winner Mr Battle Notes
2015 Chantelle Mundy[16] Craig Philips
2014 Holly Perchard[17] Ray Quinn
2013 Taye Le Monnier[18] Mikey North
2012 Rebecca Houze[19] Matthew Wolfenden[20]
2011 Alice Cubbage[21] Gareth Gates[22]
2010 Sarah Watson[23] Danny Young[24]
2009 Lucy O'Sullivan[25] Marco Pierre White[26]
2008 Holly Fraser Christopher Biggins[27]
2007 Victoria Trèhorel[28] Kyran Bracken[29]
2006 Sinead Brennan[30] Andy Abraham and Jodie Marsh were hired as guests for the event.[31]
2005 Victoria Keen[32]
2004 Sophie Chaopradith[33]
2003 Hannah Tully[34]
2002 Maria Da Silva Jimmy Savile[35]
1995 Jenny Hill Lionel Blair[36]
1994 Sandra Neves Ian Botham
1992 Louise Coleman Stefan Dennis
1990 Emma Clarke[37] Jonathon Morris[38]
1988 Anna O'Shea Roy Castle[39]
1987 Catherine Inman Mike Read[40]
1986 Julie Haywood Keith Chegwin
1985 Kristina Fanaken David Hamilton[41]
1984 Francis Wilson
1983 Collette Le Riche[42] Gareth Hunt[42]
1982 Julie Haywood[43] Keith Chegwin
1980 Karen Poole[44]
1979 Tracy Quinn Leslie Crowther[45]
1978 June Wilson[46] Sacha Distel
1977 Diana Le Bot Des O Connor[47]
1976 Susan Hughes Richard O'Sullivan[48]
1974 Susan de Gruchy Hughie Green[49]
1973 Shan Coralie Ellison Henry Cooper[50]
1970 Bernard Breslaw[51]
1967 Sheila Renault John Gregson
1966 Jean Godel Stratford Johns[52]
1965 Mary Hill Leslie Crowther[53]
1963 Pete Murray[54]
1960 Carol Geary Stirling Moss[55]
1959 Maureen Whittingham Frankie Vaughan[56]
1958 Peggy Poole James Robertson Justice[57]
1957 Jean Oeillet Jack Hawkins[58]
1951 Petula Clark[59] Battle's first lady of flowers, rather than Miss Battle.

References
  1. "Battle of Flowers". Battle of Flowers. 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
  2. Lemprière, Raoul (1976). Customs, Ceremonies and Traditions of the Channel Islands. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0709158424.
  3. "Jersey Evening Post: View Picture: 01219359.jpg". Jerseyeveningpost.newsprints.co.uk. 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  4. "Award Results 2018".
  5. "Jersey Battle of Flowers Parade".
  6. "Parade Winners 2014". battleofflowers.com.
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  8. "Exhibitors". battleofflowers.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-14.
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  10. "Flying high after one of the most successful Battles « This Is Jersey". Thisisjersey.com. 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
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  13. Battle of Flowers 2009 awards (2009-08-14). "Jersey - Entertainment - Battle of Flowers 2009 awards". BBC. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  14. "Optimists take top prize in 2008". BBC. 2008-08-18. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
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  16. "Chantelle crowned Miss Battle". channelonline.tv. 2015-04-27.
  17. "Holly is crowned Miss Battle |". channelonline.tv. 2014-04-06.
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