GET ready to party! The borough is getting ready for the biggest royal celebration for a generation.

Final preparations are being made for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations next weekend with bunting and flags already adorning streets, shops and homes.

A number of roads will be closed for street parties with fun-filled events being held in and around the town and surrounding villages.

Next Saturday and Sunday, red, white and blue bunting and Union flags will decorate St George's Park in Yarmouth for a quintessentially British village fete and food fair, with lots of activities.

Donkey rides, traditional maypole dancing, Punch and Judy, and a special sheep shearing show, along with face painting and balloon modelling are all confirmed activities so far. A number of traditional stalls will also be run with the assistance of Great Yarmouth Lions.

The time-honoured tradition of seaside brass band performances will be marked with musical entertainment from Great Yarmouth Brass on the Saturday and Wrentham Brass Band on the Sunday.

Children can make kites and flags in the colours of Commonwealth nations in a special craft marquee hosted by SeaChange Arts.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a mini-food festival featuring local food producers from the borough and the immediate area including Norfolk Sausage, Hemsby Herring, The Little Fudge Stall, Bradwell Butchery, Blackfriar's Brewery, Norfolk Preserves, Mojo Sauce, Coast Caf�, Dabs 'n' crabs and Ronaldo's ice cream.

The fete will be open from 10.30am until 4pm on Saturday and Sunday and is being run by Greater Yarmouth Tourist Authority on behalf of the borough council. Admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to give a �1 donation to the Mayor's charities.

Anchor Gardens on the seafront will host bank holiday Monday's festivities with the lighting of the beacon and a special Jubilee firework show courtesy of Greater Yarmouth Tourist Authority.

There will be a radio show on site at Anchor Plaza overlooking the gardens from 8pm with entertainment, bands and music. A parade led by Winterton TS Fearless Marine Cadets marching band will leave Maritime House Tourist Information Centre at 9.30pm and will process along the slow lane towards Anchor Gardens before Mayor Colleen Walker lights the beacon at 10.15pm, followed by the firework display.

On June 5, a special civic service will take place in Yarmouth Minster at 2pm to which everyone is invited. A parade led by Winterton TS Fearless Marine Cadets marching band will leave the Town Hall at 1.40pm and process to the church.

Today there is a Jubilee garden party at Yarmouth Library, 3pm to 5pm with African drumming, plant stall, sow a seed activity, children's crafts and crowns and tiaras making at the Tolhouse Museum - free entry.

For a guide to events around the borough to celebrate the Jubilee, see next week's Mercury.