Celebrating Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes: your round up of key events

The resort, which has hosted Armed Forces Days for the last decade, will once again see a full programme of events to celebrate to show our support to the men and women of our armed forces the armed forces community and our veterans.  Events will take place throughout the resort this year, from Sea Road to Meridian Showground!

The big wheel will be rolling into town during the week, and will be open all over the weekend. Alongside the support from traders and fairground operators from near and far, it’s looking like another bumper weekend for the resort!

The event kicks off at 12 noon on Friday, with the Community Stage at Armed Forces Remembrance Gate being filled with local choirs and groups, including Linkage, Cleethorpes Academy, Foresight and Friendship at home choirs along with Blaze Music Youth Theatre. Throughout the weekend, there will lots of activity on, and around the stage, including the military band displays and an “Armed Forces Thank You” concert on Saturday night.

One of the key changes for this year is the use of Meridian Showground at the south of the resort to showcase lots of military vehicles and displays throughout the weekend.

Now a firm favourite in the calendar, the Armed Forces Community Carnival will happen once again on the Friday evening with more than 100 floats and groups confirmed for this year. The Carnival will start at the top of Sea Road at 6pm on Friday night, and will take the usual route, straight down Alexandra Road and Kings Parade, finishing at the leisure centre.

In a major change to normal timings, on Saturday morning at 11am, a parade of vehicles and motorcycles will set off from the top of Grant Street. This will be followed (at 1130am), by the main Armed Forces Day parade with military bands, members of the armed forces, veterans and cadets. The parade is from the top of Grant St to Brighton Slipway.

You will have to look up to the skies for more entertainment with aerial displays set to take place across the weekend: the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the RAF Typhoon will be among the air displays this year. These displays will be taking place over the beach, centred in front of Ross Castle.

The Saturday finale will be the return of a fireworks display which will be held near Ross Castle to signify the end of what is sure to be a brilliant day.

Alex Baxter, Managing Director of the Armed Forces Major Events Team, said: “This is the biggest, free event on the east coast held to thank our armed forces personnel, past and present, for their service to our country and their support to civilian life. We are a small group of volunteers who organise the weekend, and it takes almost a year of planning, but it’s always a fabulous weekend in the resort.”

Here’s your quick guide to key events: (some items still to be confirmed, so have not been included at this stage).

Friday, 27 June

• 12pm: Markets and activities open across the whole resort. Meridian Showground opens (close 5pm)
• 6pm: Carnival parade will start from the top of Grant Street. Route: Alexandra Road, Kings Parade. End at Leisure Centre
• Entertainment at Remembrance gate

Saturday, 28 June

• 10am: Events start and area opens. Community Stage opens.
• 10.30am: Meridian Showground opens (close 6pm)
• 11am: Vehicle and Motorcycle parade starts from the top of Grant St
• 11.30am: Military parade starts from the top of Grant St. Route: Alexandra Road, Kings Parade, end at Brighton Slipway. (parade returns along Central Prom for dispersal).
• 12.30pm: Red Arrows display
• 1pm – 3.50pm: Community Stage area music continues, including the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Pipe Band at 3.55pm.
• 3pm: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight display
• 4.20pm: RAF Typhoon display (time TBC)
• 5.25pm – 610pm: Community Stage area: military bands perform. Includes the Sunset Ceremony
• 6.15pm - 10:30pm – Armed Forces “Thank you” concert - entertainment on Community Stage
• 10:25pm (approx.): firework display

Sunday, 29 June

• 10.30am - Events start and area opens, including Meridian Park
• 3pm to 4.30pm: Flying displays, including Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Typhoon
• Event closes in all areas at 5pm

Please note – all timings are subject to change.

To keep up to date on the details as they are announced, visit www.afmet.co.uk or the Armed Forces Cleethorpes Facebook page.