Keeping the Blitz spirit alive: Kent’s VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations

by Sam Lawrie

slawrie@thekmgroup.co.uk

On May 8, Britain will celebrate 80 years since Victory in Europe Day and honour those who put their lives on the line to overcome German forces during the Second World War.

While the war continued globally until September, Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech in 1945 was a moment of collective celebration across the UK and Europe. Pay tribute to this unforgettable moment with Kent’s VE Day 80th anniversary events…

On May 8, the nation will come together to honour 80 years since the end of WWII in Europe. Picture: Supplied by National Trust

CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL

This historic landmark is putting on a series of special events to commemorate VE Day. There will be an evensong service, the ringing of the church bells, a programme of 15-minute talks about the war, tours of the cathedral and the book of remembrance, which has the names of the 121 civilians who died in Canterbury during WWII.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Canterbury Cathedral. Book online here.

CENTRAL PARK, Dartford

This family-friendly celebration will celebrate the Blitz spirit with various activities, from model Spitfires to wartime reenactments. There will also be face painting for the kids, vintage singers and a display of artefacts from the 1930s and 1940s.

Details: Sunday, May 18 at Central Park in Dartford. Free entry, no need to book.

CHARTWELL, Westerham

Chartwell, the family home of Winston Churchill, the very man who announced VE Day in Britain via radio broadcast in 1945, is honouring its former resident. Visit the house and read first-hand accounts from Churchill’s secretaries, family members and the local community. There will be an outdoor screen in the garden where you can watch and listen to archive footage from WWII and, throughout the month, there’s an interactive trail for children.

Details: Thursday, May 1 to Saturday, May 31 at Chartwell in Westerham. Book online here.

Be transported back to wartime Britain with reenactors who will immerse you in the home front and frontline. Picture: Supplied by National Trust

CIVIC CENTRE, Ashford

Ashford’s VE Day celebrations start at the town’s Civic Centre with the raising of the 80th anniversary flag. There will also be a pop-up exhibition themed around the war at Ashford Gateway Plus in Church Road and a ceremony with the lighting of the beacon in Civic Park in the evening.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Civic Centre, Gateway Plus and Civic Park in Ashford. Free entry, no need to book.

FORT AMHERST, Chatham

This fort, which was still in use during WWII and served as an air raid warning command post, is introducing a new tour for this special anniversary. The tours will take visitors to parts of the fort that are usually closed to the public, including the newly refurbished air raid precaution centre, the memorial garden and an exhibition inside the gatehouse.

Details: Saturday, May 3 to Friday, May 9 at Fort Amherst in Chatham. Book online here.

IGHTHAM MOTE, near Sevenoaks

The team at Ightham Mote are bringing 1940s Britain to life with lots of fun, interactive entertainment. There will be living history displays that will immerse visitors in home front and frontline experiences, show you how to cook on rations and celebrate the victory announcement.

Details: Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 at Ightham Mote in Ivy Hatch, near Sevenoaks. Adult tickets start from £18, no booking required.

Kent will be filled with military vehicles, living history displays and wartime music for the 80th VE Day celebrations. Picture: Supplied by Maidstone Borough Council

JUBILEE SQUARE, Maidstone

Kent’s county town is honouring this significant anniversary, and it all starts with a ceremonial flag raising service in Jubilee Square. There will also be a home front exhibition in the Town Hall and military vehicles parked outside the building, and groups of reenactors will be visiting the town centre during the day.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Jubilee Square and the Town Hall in Maidstone. Free entry, no need to book.

THE LEAS, Folkestone

Join the Mayor of Folkestone for a special beacon lighting ceremony overlooking the coast. Before the ceremony, groups of local choirs will be performing vintage numbers, wartime tunes and choral music from 8pm, with the beacon being lit at 9.30pm.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at The Leas in Folkestone. Free entry, no need to book.

MARKET PLACE, Faversham

Be transported back to the ‘40s with a retro celebration. The Faversham in the Forties event will bring live singers and dancers, historical reenactors, military vehicles and vintage stalls to the town centre. Visitors should also keep an eye out for familiar figures from the decade, including Winston Churchill.

Details: Sunday, June 8 at Faversham Market Place. Free entry, no need to book.

NEW TAVERN PORT, Gravesend

Sing and dance along to swing and jazz music, live from the New Tavern Fort bandstand. Alongside the music, which includes performances from Gatsby Swing Jazz and Swingtime Sweethearts, there will be classic cars, vintage market stalls and family entertainment.

Details: Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 at New Tavern Fort in Gravesend. Free entry, no need to book.

PORT OF DOVER

There’s an evening of music and family entertainment happening in Dover. There will be live performances from musicians and dancers, while children’s entertainers will keep the kids happy. There will also be a poppy painting workshop, a beacon lighting ceremony, and a livestream of the beacon lighting at Dover Castle will be shown to crowds at the marina.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at the Port of Dover in Marina Square. Free entry, no need to book.

Residents taking refuge in the tunnels during the war. Picture: Phil Spain

RAMSGATE TUNNELS

These underground tunnels played a significant role in WWII, with around 300 families living in the tunnels after the town was heavily bombed in 1940 and approximately 1,200 homes were destroyed. Today, the tunnels are a tourist attraction and, for the VE Day anniversary, they will host covers band Hullabaloo for a night of live music and drinks.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at the Ramsgate Tunnels. Book online here.

RECREATION GROUND, Tenterden

A traditional town crier will kickstart Tenterden’s VE Day events, proclaiming victory throughout the town from 9am. There will then be church services, group prayers, music and the lighting of the beacon later in the day.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Tenterden Recreation Ground. Free entry, no need to book.

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL

Rochester’s historic high street will welcome veterans and cadets who will march to the war memorial in an anniversary procession. There will be a service and wreath laying at the cathedral, where the bells will ring out at the end of the evening and the spire will be illuminated in red, white and blue to mark the date.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Rochester High Street and Rochester Cathedral. Free entry, no need to book.

Towns all over Kent will be lighting memorial beacons. Picture: Supplied by Sevenoaks Town Council

RUNNING AIRMAN WAR MEMORIAL, King’s Hill

King’s Hill, once home to RAF West Malling, will honour the soldiers who soared across its skies with a flag-raising ceremony in the morning. The Lamps of Peace will be lit during a service at the war memorial that evening, with a tribute led by Reverend Mark Montgomery.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at the Running Airman War Memorial in Kings Hill, near West Malling. Free entry, no need to book.

VINE GARDENS, Sevenoaks

Tuck into a traditional dinner of fish and chips and enjoy live entertainment from the bandstand. The Jean Bentley Orchestra will perform wartime songs before a procession heads from the gardens to the war memorial, where the beacon lighting takes place.

Details: Thursday, May 8 at Vine Gardens in Sevenoaks. Free entry, no need to book.