In 2025, the Southport Armed Forces Day will transform into the exciting new Southport Armed Forces Festival!
The event will take place on the weekend of June 28–29, 2025, to celebrate our armed forces and the vibrant town of Southport with an unforgettable weekend of festivities.
The Southport Armed Forces Festival will consist of three key elements designed to honour our military while showcasing the spirit of our town:
Carnival Celebration: The festival will begin with a colourful carnival on Saturday, 28th June, 2025, celebrating our armed forces and all the fantastic aspects of Southport as a community. Organisers invite all schools, community organisations, groups, and local businesses to participate in the carnival parade, making this a truly inclusive event. The carnival will feature both a motorised section and a section on foot.
The parade will be led by a military band, followed by the standards of military organisations and honoured military veterans. Representatives of our local cadet forces will accompany them, and then community groups will take their turn in the procession.
The motorised element of the carnival will travel a longer route around the town, showcasing vibrant floats and vehicles, while the foot parade will move from the fire station along the entire length of Lord Street.
Organisers say:
“Together, we aim to create a fun and vibrant atmosphere that highlights everything excellent about our fantastic town.”
Battle of the Band’s Music Concert: With Norman Wallis’s kind permission, the Battle of the Bands concert will take place in Pleasureland’s outdoor arena. This exciting event aims to cover as many musical genres as possible, ensuring there is music to suit most tastes.
The concert will commence after the carnival has finished and will continue into the evening on Saturday, providing a fantastic opportunity for attendees to enjoy live music from local talent.
Traditional Armed Forces Day: In keeping with the organisers’ commitment to honouring the military community, all veterans’ organisations in Southport are invited to collaborate on this event, ensuring it fully includes our Armed Forces Community. This part of the festival will take place on Sunday, 29th June, 2025, and will start with the traditional Drumhead multi-faith military church service. This poignant service will offer a moment of reflection and gratitude for the sacrifices made by service members, providing an opportunity for everyone to come together in remembrance and solidarity.
The customary parade, which is usually held on Armed Forces Day, will be integrated into the carnival festivities as part of this celebration. This will allow organisers to blend the joy of community engagement with the solemnity of honouring our armed forces.
The Southport Branch of the Royal British Legion, in collaboration with key organisations within the town, will be the lead planners for the event. An initial planning conference will be held on Friday, 10th January 2024, at 10am in Southport Town Hall. This conference will welcome all interested parties who wish to be involved in the planning and execution of this vital community event.
The Southport Armed Forces Festival promises to be a fun-filled weekend for families, veterans, and everyone in our community. We invite residents and visitors to join us in making this event memorable as we honour those who serve and have served.
Please stay tuned for more updates and details about the festival on the Southport Royal British Legion official website and social media channels.
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