Brit pomp and ceremony on glorious display in sea of Union Jacks

There’s nothing like a bit of British pomp and ceremony, and they certainly turned it on for the Castle Howard Proms in Yorkshire on Saturday.

The grounds of the stately home was filled with crowds of people enjoying the unusually good weather while enjoying tunes from the London Gala Orchestra, the Yorkshire Musical Society and star soprano and hometown girl Lesley Garrett.

Add to that an amazing light show, a Spitfire flyover and plenty of traditional picnic fare and you have a recipe for a great day out. 

Castle Howard in North Yorkshire near York is considered one of England’s finest stately homes, and is still a private residence, having been the home of the Howard family for more than 300 years. It looked particularly spectacular when the grounds were lit up in vivid neon.

The whole event was conducted amid a sea of Union Jacks, a relatively unusual sight in an age when some consider flying the national flag to be an offence. There was certainly no sign of that at the proms, where some visitors took their patriot dressing to new levels.

Lesley Garrett, who headlined the Castle Howard Proms, was one of more than 120 performers to take to the stage at the annual event. It was a return home for the 62-year-old soprano, who hails from South Yorkshire, and she certainly gave the performance her all.

What’s the Aussie equivalent of the proms? Would you like to do something similar in your city?