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Jersey's first-ever drone show will take place in the skies above St Aubin’s Bay next month as part of the revamped Battle of Flowers.
Following their use in high-profile events such as the Coronation of King Charles III, the Bordeaux Wine Festival and the annual Independence Day celebrations in the USA, drones are to be used in the finale to the Moonlight Parade on Saturday 12 August.
The display – featuring 100 drones – is one of several headline acts at this year’s Battle, which will kick off with the Grand Day Parade on the Friday evening, followed by the Moonlight Parade the following day.
Pictured: UK-based specialist FlightShows will provide a drone display over St Aubin's Bay as the finale of this year's Battle of Flowers.
Flagz Mas band, regulars at London’s Notting Hill Carnival since 2007, are due to perform at both of this year’s Battle parades, alongside a specially-formed group commemorating the 60th anniversary of The Beatles tour of Jersey.
Battle chair Russell Labey said he was pleased to be revealing some detail for this year’s event, after it was previously announced that the day parade would be moved from its traditional Thursday afternoon slot to encourage more Islanders to come.
He said: "It’s good to innovate and try to find things which are current and which will draw an audience, as well as the core attraction of Battle – our fantastic floats."
Pictured: The Beatles in Jersey, 1963.
Although he would not be drawn on the exact details of the drone display, which is being put on by UK specialists FlightShows, Mr Labey said the content ‘would pertain to Jersey and to what people will have seen at Battle, with a few surprises thrown in’.
He added: "As seen recently as part of the Coronation celebrations in London, a drone show is the perfect finale to [an event] and, thanks to sponsorship from Butterfield Bank, we have lift-off for this exciting feature."
To mark Jersey’s success attracting the Fab Four to the Island for four live shows at the Springfield Ballroom in August 1963, a quartet of local musicians will come together to perform as ‘The Beantles’.
Oliver Rybarczuk, Dan MacFarlane, Jordan Rondel and Tom Rolls will play live on a 40-foot moving stage.
Pictured: A float from last year's Battle of Flowers.
Mr Labey said: "They may be impersonating the Fab Four, but their sound is incredibly authentic and is a fitting way of commemorating what was a real coup for Jersey, bringing The Beatles here six decades ago."
Meanwhile, Flagz Mas are due to bring their energetic style of music to the Battle, with the dancing and Caribbean carnival costumes due to light up the Avenue.
This year’s parades are also due to see the return of St Helier and St Peter to the line-up, with Mr Labey promising further details in the run-up to the event about how it would be more inclusive this year, "representing a wider range of communities within the island".
Tickets are available at battleofflowers.com. Prices start at £18 for general admission for a family, rising to a top price of £35 for places in the covered stand.
Mr Labey said the stand tickets were usually the first to sell out, but that admission would also be possible at the gate on parade days.
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