On Thursday 21 June 2018 The Covent Garden Marching Band Comes of Age for the 21st Annual Rent Collecting Ceremony and Big Parade.

A Parade and Ceremony of spectalar proportions so don’t miss out!


The ceremony starts at 4.30pm on Thursday, 21st June. But why not prepare for the fun by making a day of it in Covent Gardens.

New Orleans Eat Your Heart Out!

Flamboyant Rent Collecting With Panache!
 “The annual Rent Ceremony is a weird and wonderful occasion when the Chairman and Trustees march around the Piazza, accompanied by the
Town Crier and the Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band, to pay the “peppercorn rents” of
five red apples and five posies of flowers for the buildings, known as The Protected Lands,
on which the Trust owns a 150-year headlease.” (Covent Garden Area Trust Website)

2017: The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Ian Adams, and Graham Chase, Chairman of The Covent Garden Trust), applaud as Town Cryer Alan Myatt gets the march off to a swinging start!

This, the 21st Annual Ceremony, promises to be as zany and  flamboyant as ever. It has to be seen to be believed! The band includes star jazz musicians with The Covent Garden Town Cryer at the head of the parade.

Digby Fairweather with the Marching Band.

Trumpets: Digby Fairweather, Chris Hodgkins (Leader) and Tim Wacher.
Reeds: Julian Mark Stringle (clarinet), Eric Gilchrist (alto), Ian Bailey (tenor),
Trombones: Chris Gower, Phil Brown, and Tim Wacher.
Sousaphone: Mick Godwin,
Banjo: Alan Bradley
Drums: Don Cook (side drum), Ben Martyn (bass drum).

“True New Orleans Style”
Headed by Town Cryer Alan Myatt, the marching band will set off, in true New Orleans style, at 4.30pm from St Paul’s Church churchyard (the actor’s church off King Street) and will make its way around the Piazza, with appointed stops on route for the collection of the rents. Pausing for essential refreshments on route outside the Punch and Judy Pub before culminating for dignitaries’ speeches in the
North Hall of the Market.

The 2016 Southern Courtyard Jazz Party!

“Quite a Big Sound”
Then comes the grand finale in the South Courtyard of the Market (outside the Crusting Pie) where, after a short interval, the band (finally static!) plays a second set lasting an hour and finishing around 6.30pm. It’s a lot of fun and quite a big sound due to the rather special
South Courtyard acoustics demonstrated in this Jazz&Jazz YouTube.

Special thanks go to Tim Wacher and Chris Hodgkins for organising the Marching Band and
South Courtyard Concert. Jazz&Jazz covers the march each year, featuring Jazz&Jazz YouTubes
and brilliant photos taken by my colleague, Laurence Cumming. So lets plan to see you there!

Visit the 2017 Jazz&Jazz Covent Garden Marching Band Feature & YouTubes

Jazz&Jazz is grateful for the generous support received from The Covent Garden Marching Band.

Peter M Butler

Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
(Photos by Laurence Cumming©Jazz&Jazz)

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