As the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, Ottawa joins the many other cities, countries and people taking part in events to mark the occasion.

A Beacon lighting ceremony is being held at City Hall Thursday evening in front of the cauldron in Marion Dewar Plaza,

“I’m happy about this, because we’re never going to see this again in our lifetime,” says Teresa Whitmore, Area Governor with the Rotary Clubs in Ottawa,

“the Queen was a Queen for five years when I was born, and I’m never going to see this again.”

The Rotary Club in partnership with the city are organizing the event,  “very exciting, we didn’t come up with the idea ourselves, the Pageant Master actually from Buckingham Palace reached out to Rotary International,” says Whitmore.

The event features a bagpipe performance of Diu Regnare, a song written for the Jubilee, along with a performance from the Carleton University Choir,

“We’re singing A Life Lived with Grace, is the song that was composed for this particular ceremony, for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee,” Antonio Llaca, Carleton University Choral Activities Director said, “it’s great to be a part of something that is larger; this piece is being performed in all 54 common-wealth countries all at the same time.”

The ceremony begins at 8:45pm, and the beacon lighting will take place at 9:15pm

LANDMARKS ILLUMINATED

Ottawa landmarks, including the Peace Tower, the Senate and the Prime Minister's Office on Wellington Street, will be illuminated in purple this evening to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

A beacon will also be lit in Canada's capital city -- one of many across the country and the Commonwealth to celebrate the monarch's 70 years on the throne.

Pipers across Canada and the Commonwealth will play a tune composed for the occasion, while communities are celebrating with events such as street parties, the unveiling of commemorative gardens and even puppet shows.

The British High Commission will also be lit up in purple today and through the weekend when celebrations will continue with a street party at the high commissioner's official residence.

The Queen, 96, appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with 18 members of the Royal Family, on the first of what will be four days of celebrations.

Britain's longest-serving monarch waved at the crowds as military aircraft, including the Red Arrows, did an aeronautical display that at one point included forming the number 70 in the sky.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2022.