As Jersey’s biggest annual event, many visitors from our Bailiwick have made a point of travelling over for their Battle of Flowers but the event’s future is looking increasingly uncertain.
Organisers are continuing to assess whether it can go ahead this year with funding concerns growing.
Jersey’s Battle of Flowers Association met at the start of this week to discuss outstanding debts from last year’s event and to consider the feasibility of holding the annual parade this summer.
No final decision has been made yet, with a working group set up to report back to members.
The Association said a further announcement will be made in due course.
Organisers paid an undisclosed sum to bring UK music star Sam Ryder and Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow to last year’s event in the hope that the pair would boost ticket sales.
But despite having its Government grant almost doubled to £270,000 for last year’s celebration, it emerged recently that Jersey’s Battle made a loss last year.
As of last month, 2024 exhibitors were still waiting for payments.
Jersey’s Economic Development Minister, Kirsten Morel, who has responsibility for arts, heritage and culture, confirmed to Express in recent weeks that he was working with the Battle of Flowers Association to “secure the long-term future of the event”.
At the time, Deputy Morel said: “The Battle holds significant cultural and community importance to Jersey and we will continue to assist efforts to secure its sustainable future.
“We’re awaiting a grant request for 2025 and stand ready to support this.
“The volunteers work hard to put the Battle on each year and I will be working with their association to secure the long-term future of the event.”
The 2024 celebration grant was up 80% from £150,000 in 2023.
Deputy Morel also told Express that the increased funding was aimed at addressing the “headwinds” facing the event since the pandemic and providing organisers with the means to “reinvigorate” it for a new generation of islanders and tourists.
Express attempted to contact Jersey’s Battle of Flowers Association chairman Russell Labey for comment, but was told he was unavailable.
A statement from the Association was provided instead, which said: “The Battle of Flowers Association met last night to be updated on progress to settle all outstanding accounts and discuss the feasibility of parades in 2025.
“A working party will report back to members in the near future and an announcement will be made at that time.
Jersey’s Battle of Flowers is much bigger than Guernsey’s which is held as part of the annual North Show at Saumarez Park each August.
Jersey’s event used to always be held on a Thursday afternoon earlier in the month with Victoria Avenue closed off so the large displays could parade in to St Helier. Recently it moved to a Friday schedule instead.
Large floats organised by each parish and other extravagantly decorated entrants create a colourful spectacle viewed by thousands of people.
Recent years have featured fairgrounds and music concerts as part of the event.
Guernsey’s Battle of Flowers has sometimes struggled with entrants in recent years, but the number of participants in the categories for smaller floats has grown most recently.
Guernsey’s Battle of Flowers takes place on the Thursday afternoon of the two-day North Show, just ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend, with a floodlit parade later that same day.