VE Day 80th Anniversary Events in Britain: The Definitive 2025 Guide

By Elnur Mirzazada
May 4, 2025 14:30 Updated 1h ago
comments
share
Reuters

Discover every major VE Day 80 event in Britain, 5‑8 May 2025—from London’s parade and fly‑past to street parties, concerts and museum exhibitions.

Victory in Europe (VE) Day turns 80 this year, and the UK is rolling out its largest commemorations since the war’s end. Between 5 May and 8 May 2025, expect four history‑packed days of parades, concerts, fly‑pasts, pop‑up exhibitions and thousands of community street parties. Below you’ll find every headline event (plus how to join in locally), laid out for maximum search visibility and reader clarity.

1. National Commemorations in London

1.1 Military Procession & Historic Fly‑past

  • When: Bank‑holiday Monday, 5 May, 12:00 BST
  • Route: Parliament Square → Whitehall → Admiralty Arch → The Mall → Buckingham Palace
  • Scale: 1,300 service personnel, led by the Household Cavalry and The King’s Troop RHA. Normandy veteran Alan Kennett (100) will carry the Commonwealth War Graves Torch for Peace.
  • Aircraft: Spitfire, Mosquito, Lancaster, modern Typhoons & Red Arrows, plus a Voyager tanker recently used on Ukraine aid missions.
     

1.2 Royal Participation

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will review the parade from the palace balcony and later host a garden‑party tea for WWII veterans and families.

1.3 Westminster Abbey Thanksgiving

An invitation‑only service on 8 May 2025 (10:45 BST) will be broadcast live on BBC One as “VE Day 80: The Nation Remembers.”

2. Major Concerts & Performances

2.1 London

Date Event Venue
5 May, 19:30 VE Day 80: The Party – Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, hosted by SSAFA & Daily Mail Royal Albert Hall
8 May, 20:00 VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember – open‑air show with Samantha Barks, Fleur East, John Newman (10k+ capacity) Horse Guards Parade
7 May Parliament Choir Anniversary Concert Palace of Westminster
 

2.2 Across the Nations

  • Scotland’s Salute: VE80 – 6 May, Usher Hall, Edinburgh; massed military bands & celebrity vocalists.
  • Belfast VE Day 80 Celebration – 7–8 May, City Hall; hosted by Tim McGarry & Dr David Hume.
     

3. Special Exhibitions & Memorials

  • Tower of London Poppy Installation (from 6 May) – 30,000 ceramic poppies cascading into a “crater” around the White Tower. Runs until 11 Nov.
  • RAF Museum Midlands VE Weekend (10–11 May) – Lancaster fly‑over, 1940s concerts, family workshops (free).
  • Imperial War Museum Highlights: HMS Belfast after‑hours street party (5 May) and IWM Duxford Flying Day (10 May) featuring Hurricanes & Spitfires.
     

4. Regional & Local Highlights

4.1 Scotland

  • Stirling Castle events – 3–4 May
  • Kelso Community Event – 10 May; parade, Drumhead Service & Military Village.
     

4.2 Wales

  • Cardiff Castle Celebration Picnic – 5 May, 11:00–17:00; bandstand music, circus acts & kids’ crafts.
     

4.3 Northern Ireland

  • Belfast Blitz walking tours, city‑centre tea‑dance and anniversary parade (7–8 May).
     

4.4 England

  • Manchester civic reception, cathedral evensong & bell‑ringing (5 May).
  • Sandwell Fabulous 40s fair (5 May) plus civic service (8 May).
     

5. Street Parties & Community Involvement

Local authorities from Manchester to Cardiff have waived street‑closure fees (apply by mid‑April deadlines) to recreate the spontaneous parties of 1945.

How to host your own VE Day 80 party

  1. Submit a road‑closure request to your council (check cut‑off dates).
  2. Download official bunting & poster packs from ve‑vjday80.gov.uk.
  3. Encourage 1940s dress‑up; many councils are running “best‑dressed street” contests.
  4. Share photos with #VEDay80 for a chance to appear on BBC Breakfast.
     

6. BBC & Media Coverage

  • 5 May, 10:30 BST – “VE Day 80: The Nation Pays Tribute”: live parade coverage on BBC One (hosted by Sophie Raworth).
  • 8 May, 10:45 BST – “The Nation Remembers”: Westminster Abbey service on BBC One.
  • 8 May, 20:00 BST – Primetime concert from Horse Guards Parade on BBC One & iPlayer.
  • Week‑long VE‑themed specials on The One Show, Antiques Roadshow, The Repair Shop and EastEnders.
     

7. Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When is VE Day 2025?
    VE Day falls on Thursday, 8 May 2025, but most national events begin on the bank‑holiday Monday, 5 May.
     
  2. Do I need tickets for the London fly‑past?
    The parade route is free to view. Arrive early (before 10 AM) for space along The Mall; large screens in St James’s Park will show live coverage.
     
  3. Where can I watch online?
    BBC iPlayer and the BBC News YouTube channel will stream the main services and concerts live.

Tags

VE Day 80th Anniversary VE Day 80 events VE Day 2025 UK celebrations london VE Day parade

Comments (0)

What is your opinion on this topic?

Leave the first comment