Red Arrows, royals and street parties: What to look out for on VE Day at 80
- Published
VE Day marked the end of World War Two in Europe. Huge crowds took to the streets on 8 May 1945 to sing, dance and rejoice after nearly six years of war.
To mark the 80th anniversary, four days of commemorative events have been planned across the UK, from 5 to 8 May. Here's a guide to what's happening and when.
1. Commemorations at the Cenotaph
London's Cenotaph will become a focal point for quiet reflection when commemorations begin on Bank Holiday Monday.
The monument will be draped in Union Flags, echoing its 1920 unveiling in honour of the fallen soldiers of World War One.
Throughout the four days of remembrance, it will serve as a place of silent tribute to those who died in World War Two, both at home and abroad.
2. Red Arrows in the skies
On Monday, more than 1,300 armed forces and members of the public are expected to participate in a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace.
The event will begin at 12:00 BST in Parliament Square with an actor reciting extracts from Prime Minister Winston Churchill's VE Day speech. The procession will travel down Whitehall, past the Cenotaph, through Admiralty Arch and up the Mall.
World War Two veterans will watch the event from the Queen Victoria Memorial, alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The procession will be followed by a flypast of current and historic military aircraft. This will include a Voyager transport aircraft - a fleet extensively used in the UK's support for Ukraine - and the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows, famous for their red, white and blue smoke trails in the sky.
3. Royals on the balcony
King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to make an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the military parade on Monday. They will also host a tea party for war veterans, their families and other members of the wartime generation in the palace gardens.
The 2025 VE Day commemorations will be the first to take place without any of the royals who appeared on the balcony 80 years ago. In 1945, large crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of King George VI, the Queen Mother, a young Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret.
4. Street parties and get-togethers
On Monday, HMS Belfast is hosting a private VE Day 80 anniversary event, with Radio 5 Live's Matt Chorley joining for afternoon tea. In the evening, there is a late night extravaganza, external with drinks, music and special guests. The famous ship, now parked next to Tower Bridge, is the most significant surviving WW2 warship. It fired some of the opening shots on D-Day in 1944 and protected Arctic convoys during the war.
Street parties will also take place up and down the country, with local communities encouraged to organise their own get-togethers to echo the celebrations from 80 years ago. Councils are hosting events and some have waived their usual road closure fee. Check your local council website to see what festivities are taking place in your area.
And pubs in England and Wales will stay open late on Thursday to allow customers to raise a glass in their local until 01:00 BST.
5. Poppies pouring across Tower lawn
On Tuesday, the Tower of London will open an art installation of 30,000 ceramic poppies. The flowers originally featured in Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, an artwork created to mark the centenary of WW1 and included 888,246 poppies at the castle.
Royal Historic Palaces (RHP) said the poppies "will pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers will form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards".
Visitors can see the new installation as part of a general admission ticket to the Tower of London, although a small part will be visible from the public footpath. The exhibition runs until Armistice Day on 11 November.
6. Music to remember
On Wednesday, the Parliament Choir will host an anniversary concert at the Palace of Westminster, external marking the moment when a newsflash announced 8 May 1945 as VE Day.
On the same day, the IWM North war museum in Manchester is hosting Letters to Loved Ones,, external a performance about personal stories of the conflict and people's understanding of the war today.
On Thursday commemorations will be marked by a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey and VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember, an evening concert at Horse Guards Parade. Expected to draw over 10,000 attendees, the concert will feature stars such as Samantha Barks, Fleur East and John Newman.
At the Royal Albert Hall, VE Day 80: The Party, external, will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and is organised by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.
7. Celebrations across the nation
Outside London, elaborate VE Day celebrations are planned across the country. To search for an event in your local area, visit your council website or use the ve-vjday80.go.uk, external.
In Staffordshire, the Royal British Legion will host an anniversary tea party and service of remembrance, external at the National Memorial Arboretum on Thursday, bringing together one of the largest gatherings of WW2 veterans and their families on VE Day.
In Belfast, external, there will be guided tours of wartime landmarks and a "tea dance" hosted in the City Hall. In Pontypool Wales, the Blaenavon Workmen's Hall, external is hosting a Great Victory Bake off, a Knit for Victory event and a costume competition. On the north coast of Scotland at Banff Castle, external, a "full programme of music, dance and entertainment" is slated for VE Day.
How to follow the events on the BBC
The BBC will commemorate VE Day with a variety of special programmes. Highlights on BBC One include special editions of Saturday Kitchen on 3 May (10:00 BST), Antiques Roadshow on 4 May (20:00 BST), The One Show on 5 May (18:30 BST), Who Do You Think You Are? on 6 May (21:00 BST) and EastEnders on 8 May (19:30 BST). There will be special programmes across BBC Radio including a concert from Alexandra Palace on BBC Radio 2.
Online, BBC News will cover VE Day with a range of reporting including live pages of the commemorations and a rich selection of video interviews with people who lived through the war.
There will also be live broadcasts of major events on BBC One and iPlayer including:
Monday 5 May - VE Day 80: The Nation Pays Tribute (BBC One, 10:30 BST), presented by Sophie Raworth with commentary from Paddy O'Connell on the military procession in London.
Thursday 8 May - VE Day 80: The Nation Remembers (BBC One, 10:45 BST), a service of thanksgiving from Westminster Abbey presented by Sophie Raworth with commentary from Petroc Trelawny.
Thursday 8 May - VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember (BBC One, 20:00 BST) a live concert from the Horse Guards parade in London presented by Zoe Ball.
To read more about what's happening across the BBC, click here.