VE Day Celebration events in Solihull and Warwickshire
The 80th anniversary of VE Day falls on 8 May 2025 and lots of events will be taking place across Solihull and Warwickshire to celebrate.
8 May 2025
Market Hall Museum, Warwick
At 9am, Warwick’s Town Crier, Michael Reddy, will read ‘The VE Day 80 Proclamation’ from the top of Market Hall Museum.
Newbold Comyn Beacon Lighting
From 7.30pm, Warwickshire will join the nation in lighting the beacon at Newbold Comyn. Refreshments including pizza, coffee and cake will be available to purchase, with music by Royal Spa Brass starting at 8.30pm. The lighting of the beacon at Newbold Comyn in the evening will both be live streamed on Warwick District Council’s Facebook page.
Solihull Beacon Lighting
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day and to honour those who fought during the Second World War, the Mayor of Solihull will be lighting the beacon at Elmdon Park on Thursday 8 May. The beacon lighting ceremony will begin after 9pm and includes poetry readings and music from a piper in the park beside Elmdon Church. Prior to the beacon lighting, there will be a service at Elmdon Church from 7:30pm – 8:15pm, after which refreshments will be served to guests. Please note that parking will not be available in the Church car park, so visitors are encouraged to walk or use public transport.
Kenilworth Castle
On 8 May 2025 from 7:30pm, residents and visitors are welcome to join us at Kenilworth Castle where we will see:
- Performances from two local school choirs
- A service by the Royal British Legion
- Memories performed by theatre actors from Talisman Theatre
- A poetry reading by the Twinning Association
- A Bagpiper…
Culminating in the Nationwide celebration of a lighting of a beacon on the Strong Tower. The Town Council will also be providing small tealights to each guest to represent the Lamp Light of Peace.
Balsall Common Library
Here there will be a VE Day afternoon tea on Thursday 8 May between 2:15pm and 4:15pm, with the opportunity to browse an archive of memories of Solihull in wartime.
Henley in Arden Memorial Hall
Join us at the Memorial Hall for an evening of shared celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday 8th May. Arrive at 6:30 dressed in 1945’s attire (optional) and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of video clips and music prior to the showing of six academy award nominated Darkest Hour PG13.
The evening will begin with bells at Holy Trinity Church ringing at 6.30pm as part of a national Ring Out in Celebration, echoing the bells that rang out across Britain as the nation took to the streets in celebration of Victory in Europe Day 80 years ago. Following this, an event will be held on the Bandstand, beginning at 7.20pm with a ribbon cutting and speeches from Stratford Town Trust Chair, Tim Bailey and Mayor Jason Fojtik. Afterwards, there will be a performance by City of Coventry Brass, culminating in a procession to the Garden of Remembrance for a short service of commemoration and the lighting of the beacon. The short service of commemoration and lighting of the beacon by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, will commence at the Garden of Remembrance at 9pm, with the lighting of the beacon at approximately 9:30pm.
Other dates:
Knowle Street Market – 10 May
There will be a celebration in Knowle with artisan and community stalls in the high street and food stalls on Kenilworth Road. There will also be an entertainment stage outside the Greswolde Hotel on the high street.
Fusilier Museum and Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum
Temporary exhibitions at The Fusilier Museum Warwick and Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum will tell the stories the regiments during the final days of war. The new exhibition will be open from May 8 to July 22 and will explore the role of regiment in the final stages of the war, highlighting some of its key individuals and the role they played.
During the May half term, families with young children will have a chance to take part in some craft activities at the museum. As well as the usual exhibits at the museum, there will also be VE80 activities which will include making flags and medals. The crafts are aimed for children aged five to 11 years olds. There will also be an opportunity to interact with Field Marshal Montgomery and his war office colleagues in their ‘War Room’.
The Core Library, Solihull
The Core Library will hold a commemorative exhibition in the Heritage Gallery for the whole of May and beginning of June. There will also be a display of fiction and non-fiction books on the theme of remembrance, as well as a medal and paper chain making craft event for ages 3 and over during the half term holidays on Wednesday 28 May between 10:30am and 12:30pm.
Click here to find out more about VE Day 80 celebrations across the country
