VE Day 80 Celebrations
A shared moment of celebration
Mark your calendars! Get ready for a day packed with events that honour the past and bring our community together. From a flag-raising ceremony, street party and concert, there's a chance for everyone to get involved and enjoy this important celebration.
Join us in Sunderland on VE Day 80 for a day of remembrance, celebration, and community spirit!
9:00 AM: Raising of the VE Day Flag at City Hall, a moment of national unity and remembrance.
From 11:00 AM: Keel Square comes alive with a fantastic VE Day atmosphere! Come and see authentic World War 2 vehicles and uniformed personnel, a classic double-decker bus, and plenty of VE Day bunting. Relax in our deck chairs and at picnic tables while you're there. Don't miss the Women's Institute in the Pavilion beneath the EXPO screen, where you can enjoy a charitable cake sale, try your luck at the tombola, see craft demonstrations, and explore their wartime history. Plus, grab a bite of history with some delicious fish and chips from a vintage van - a wartime treat that became a national favourite!
12pm: National 2 minute silence for reflection and remembrance.
1:20pm: It's eyes to the sky as we try to catch a glimpse of The Tiger Moth MSN plane as it embarks on it's flyover from Sunderland docks to The Pavilion Community Hub.
4:00 - 6:00 PM: Get ready to celebrate! At 4:00 PM, Keel Square will burst into life as a fantastic VE Day Street Party venue. Enjoy a packed programme featuring singers, dynamic dance troupes, a classic Punch and Judy show, talented face painters, and towering stilt walkers.
6:00 - 6:45pm: Sunderland Minster Thanksgiving Service honouring the men and women of Sunderland whose sacrifices made the peace possible - but above all, celebrating the resilience, courage and spirit, which marked the people of this city then, and which continue to burn brightly within Sunderland's people and communities now!
7:00 PM: Don't miss the special VE Day Concert at The Fire Station! This ticketed event promises a memorable evening with vintage singers, readings and will be hosted by Alfie Joey.
9:30 PM: The day will conclude with a poignant Lighting of the Lanterns of Peace. Simultaneously, monuments across Sunderland will be illuminated, creating a powerful city-wide symbol of peace and remembrance.
Tell us about your community events
Planning a community event to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day? We want to hear about it!
If you're organising a VE Day 80th anniversary celebration in Sunderland, we'd love to hear from you! Please share the details of your event so we can help spread the word and ensure everyone in our community can join in the commemorations.
Email us and tell us about your VE Day 80 celebrations.
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