CELEBRATIONS will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
Visitors will be able to step back in time for a weekend of family-friendly activities inspires by the street parties across Britain in May 1945.
The celebration – taking place from 3rd to 5th May – forms part of The Year Was 1945 commemorations.
Mark Ellis, lead at the National Memorial Arboretum, said:
“VE Day was a moment of immense joy and relief for communities across the UK – and this anniversary is a chance to reflect on that collective sense of celebration.
“Through music, storytelling and interactive activities, we’ll be creating a weekend full of atmosphere and connection, echoing the spirit of 1945.”
The programme of activities and entertainment will include vintage dance workshops, live performances and a mass singalong. There will also be lawn games and craft sessions.
Costumed interpreters will share stories inspired by those who lived through the war, from land girls supporting food production, to ARP wardens helping communities during air raids, while a 1945-inspired food and drink menu will be available too.
On 3rd May, four new exhibitions will open at the arboretum.
VE Day Street Party at Cherry Tree Road captures the sense of joy and community that swept across the country, while Through Their Eyes: 80 Years On shares the personal reflections of those who were still serving while the war continued in the Far East as peace returned to Europe.
The Letters From the Frontline exhibition will share the changing experiences and emotions of Armed Forces personnel and their families during the final months of the war, while the Prisoners of War – A Chaplain’s Portraits exhibition showcases a series of pictures drawn by Army Chaplain Fred Stallard during his time as a prisoner of war in the Far East.
Full details of commemorations taking place at the arboretum to mark VE Day can be found here.
