The 2009 Portsmouth Festivities Henry 500 celebration has been a huge success.  A spectacular week of celebrations featuring high profile artists and speakers, the Festivities marked the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne and the commissioning of his favourite warship, the Mary Rose.  Events throughout the week attracted record audiences with most events selling out.

 

The Festivities culminated in a Tudor Pageant from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to Southsea Castle involving hundreds of young people from across the city including pupils from Portsmouth Grammar School, on the 500th anniversary of King Henry�s 18th birthday on 28 June 2009. 

    

The day of celebrations ended with a Twilight Fire Spectacle featuring the burning of a Tudor Ghost Ship and spectacular firework display in the shadow of Southsea Castle, where Henry VIII stood and watched his favourite warship, The Mary Rose, sink in 1545.  Hundreds of young people including pupils from Portsmouth Grammar School participated in the performance which told the story of the birth of the modern navy in Portsmouth.

 

The event was devised by Walk the Plank and supported by Arts Council England, Portsmouth City Council, BVT Surface Fleet, The Southern Cooperative, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Mary Rose Trust.

 

Participating schools included Portsmouth Grammar School, Admiral Lord Nelson School, King Richard School, Paulsgrove (evening show) and Portsmouth Grammar Junior School, St Swithun�s Primary School, Corpus Christi Primary School and young people from �Pompey Stars� (daytime pageant).  A programme of workshops had taken place in schools and at the Mary Rose Trust on the weeks and months leading up to the show involving music: traditional shanty singing and 21st century �rap� shanty singing, dancing, parkour, pennant making and Tudor diet and healthy eating.