Plymouth Celebrate Armed Forces Day

Plymouth Armed Forces Day is an annual event held in support of the national Armed Forces Day initiative. We love attending this wonderful event year after year, with everything from air shows, parades, activities and a chance to get up close to a wide variety of aircraft. Plymouth has a strong military heritage making this wonderful city the perfect setting for the event. As well as a fun day out for all of the family, Armed Forces Day provides attendees a chance to show support and celebrate the hard work and dedication of these brave men and women. With air displays, evening entertainment and military parades, there really is something for everyone!

The following information was provided by the organisers of Armed Forces Day, with the most recent updates listed first. For full details, please click here.

With less than a month to go until Plymouth’s spectacular Armed Forces Day, the full event programme is now being distributed across the city and is also available online by clicking here.

This year’s family-friendly event, on Saturday 24 June in association with Babcock, looks set to attract more than 45,000 people to Plymouth Hoe. With loads of exciting and exhilarating displays, including military bands, parades, weapons displays, static helicopters, military vehicles and equipment and live music, there really is something for everyone!

Plus there’s the chance to watch the event’s thrilling air display, with a dynamic mix of Jets and daring aerobatic acts, including the colourful, high energy Muscle Pitts and the Sea Vixen Fighter.

Other flying teams include Strikemaster Jet, TRIG display, Calidus Gyro display, BBMF RAF Dakota, Breitling Wing Walkers formation display, Extra 330 aerobatic display team, Team Raven formation aerobatic display team, and a flypast from the RAF Chinook.

There will also be an exciting arena programme with highlights this year including the Senior Field Gun competitions featuring HMNB Devonport, HMS Ocean and MOD Corsham.

There will be a variety of ‘villages’ set out across Plymouth Hoe, to showcase the work of the Royal Navy, Army, RAF, Royal Marines and Veterans’ organisations, as well as charities and the Emergency Services.

And, in the evening a special free outdoor concert will take place, featuring the fast and furious Joey the Lips, The Harmonettes and The Band of the HM Royal Marines Plymouth. Headlining will be eighties pop favourite Toyah Willcox, performing her classic hits and anthems.

Both Citybus and Stagecoach are offering free travel on AFD to serving personnel, cadets in uniform and those showing a veterans badge. There will be approximately 50 car parking spaces for blue badge holders at Ballard House Car Park and there will be a shuttle bus supplied by City Bus operating between Ballard House and Plymouth Hoe from 8.30am – 6.30pm.
The aim of Armed Forces Day event is to show our support for the Armed Forces and celebrate the outstanding contribution our serving personnel, reservists, veterans and cadets have made, and continue to make, for our country.

Thank you to the talented team at One Plymouth for providing us with stunning images from previous years!

We are expecting thousands of people to flock to Plymouth Hoe to watch the spectacular air display which will take place between 4.20pm to 6.05pm, to include the following: Strikemaster Jet, Muscle Pitts the ultimate high energy aerobatics biplane, TRIG display, Calidus Gyro display, BBMF RAF Dakota, Breitling Wing Walkers formation display, Extra 330 aerobatic display team, Sea Vixen Fighter, Team Raven formation aerobatic display team, and hopefully Chinook too. There will also be two static helicopters on display on the Hoe throughout the day.

This year’s Armed Forces Day is going to be a spectacular and thrilling event, with a packed programme of activities, parades, displays, bands and live music to keep everyone entertained right through to the evening.

The city is marching ahead with its plans for Plymouth Armed Forces Day, which were unveiled at the highly anticipated and exciting launch event today. Plymouth Armed Forces Day is organised by Plymouth City Council with Babcock as title sponsor, and is fully supported by the Military Services and businesses across the city. Each year Plymouth aims to raise awareness and support for the Armed Forces and celebrate the outstanding contribution they make to the city and the UK.

Babcock Managing Director Craig Lockhart said: “Babcock is delighted and proud to support Plymouth Armed Forces Day again this year.
“This fantastic event is a great celebration for civilians, the military and their families alike and we look forward to working with Plymouth City Council and our Armed Forces colleagues to make this year’s event even better than ever.”

The countdown to this year’s Plymouth Armed Forces Day has begun, after the Armed Forces Day flag was presented to the city following a thrilling journey across Plymouth Sound to Stonehouse Barracks, involving a marine landing craft, zip wire and a weapons platform vehicle, in a wild ride to herald the date for the thrilling annual event – Saturday 24 June.

This year’s family-friendly Armed Forces Day looks set to attract more than 40,000 people as it promises to deliver a whole host of exciting and exhilarating displays, interactive activities, military bands, parades and a not to be missed air show featuring death defying acrobatics.

Military hardware including weapons displays, static helicopters, military vehicles and equipment will also be on show as well as the popular and exciting arena programme. One of the highlights this year is the Senior Field Gun competitions featuring HMNB Devonport, HMS Raleigh and HMS Ocean.

The Royal Navy, Army, RAF, Royal Marines and Veterans’ organisations, charities and the Emergency Services will all be showcasing their services in a variety of ‘Villages’ set out across the Hoe.

It is expected more than 120 exhibitors will be on display and organisers hope more people than ever before will come along and enjoy the day. The line-up for an exciting evening concert is already being planned too. Acts confirmed so far include the popular Military Wives Choir, Joey and the Lips and eighties favourite Toyah Willcox.

Councillor Glenn Jordan, Cabinet Member for Culture said: “As a military city, Plymouth has a strong link to the military and we are really excited to be delivering an action packed programme for this year’s Armed Forces Day.

“As well as being fun, the event also carries a strong message, an opportunity to show our support to the Armed Forces, from those currently serving to reservists, veterans, cadets and their families.

“Our event’s team are pulling out all the stops to ensure it will be a spectacular day to remember.”

The full programme and evening line-up is still being finalised, with more events and activities being added to the Armed Forces Day website over the coming weeks.

If you are travelling to Plymouth for the weekend and are looking for a place to rest your head, please give our reception team a call on 01752 275850 who will be more than happy to help you!