Flowers, mural, and thousands of fans: Birmingham says farewell to Ozzy Osbourne
The world mourns a rock legend
Birmingham, the hometown of legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne, held a large-scale farewell ceremony for the musician. Tens of thousands of fans gathered to pay tribute to the icon known as the «godfather of heavy metal.»
The procession began with a performance by the municipal orchestra, which played Osbourne’s most famous compositions, including «Iron Man.»
The musician’s coffin was carried through the city streets in a hearse adorned with a floral arrangement in the shape of a purple cross.
The cortege passed by places connected to Ozzy’s childhood — the stadium and houses where he grew up — and then made its way to Broad Street in the city center. There, he was met by massive crowds of fans who threw flowers, chanted the musician’s name, and sang in his honor.
A special moment came with the stop at the Black Sabbath Bridge, where a bench depicting the band’s members turned into a memorial. Throughout the week, fans had been bringing flowers, letters, beer bottles, and bat-shaped balloons — a symbol of Osbourne.
Ozzy’s family joined the ceremony: his wife Sharon with their children Kelly, Jack, and Aimee, his eldest son Louis, Kelly’s fiancé — Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson — and grandchildren. They laid flowers at the memorial, and Sharon, holding back tears, placed a rose among the fans’ tributes. People shouted words of support: «Ozzy forever!» and «We love you, Sharon!» She responded with the iconic peace sign — Osbourne’s signature gesture.
In addition to the bridge, spontaneous memorials also appeared in other iconic places — including near the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street and by The Crown pub, where the band gave its first performance. The latter was decorated with black-and-white posters featuring the band.
The ceremony concluded with a private farewell attended only by close family and friends.
Photo: Instagram @ozzyosbourne, BBC, Birmingham City Council
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