An exciting week of events is in store across Brighton & Hove to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on Thursday 8 May 2025.
On this day in 1945, an announcement was made by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill over the radio, ending the Second World War in Europe and allowing 3.8 million British men and 400,000 British women to return to their homes and families.
Eighty years on, the nation will come together again to pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom and to celebrate the resilience and unity that have defined our country ever since.
This year will be particularly poignant, as it will be one of the last opportunities to honour our living Second World War veterans, who fought so hard to preserve peace and freedom that enables our shared way of life.
It is vital that we will learn from their stories and ensure they are told to generations to come, so that younger generations understand what they were fighting for and the horrors that conflicts on this scale can bring.
VE Day is a very significant day for Brighton & Hove, which has a proud history of marking the occasion.
Photos from 8 May 1945 show street parties taking place across Brighton & Hove and a parade past Hove Town Hall.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we will be flying the VE80 flags from Brighton and Hove town halls.
All day, Brighton Palace Pier, Madeira Drive, Brighton BN2 1TW
Brighton Palace Pier will host a range of activities - including 1940’s playlist on pier radio, old newsreel footage on a big screen during daytime, evening showing of black and white classic cinema and discounted fish and chips for service personnel and veterans.
During the following weekend, the pier will be decorated in festive bunting and free entry will be offered to cadets and their families.
9pm, Peace Statue, Kingsway, Brighton & Hove, BN3 2WN (arrive by 8.45pm)
The ceremony will bring together the city’s cadet forces, uniformed services, and veterans for a short service and the lighting of a beacon.
As darkness falls, a fisherman will light our new beacon brazier at 9.30pm, joining hundreds of beacons across the UK in a national moment of remembrance and hope.
Salvation Arms Band will be attending to accompany the community and cadet singing.
The ceremony is being supported by the Royal British Legion, Brighton & Hove Buses, Sussex Police and Downs Junior School. Rev. David Hazell from St Helen’s Church, Hangleton will be giving a short service.
The Royal British Legion will be fundraising at the ceremony and selling special VE Day 80 commemorative pins.
Ed Wills, Managing Director for Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus, said: “We are delighted to be marking the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day, to celebrate 80 years of peace since the end of World War II in Europe.
“On the day we will bring along a Coaster bus named after World War II hero Stephen Barnwell who in 2015 was given the Freedom of the town of Rots and in 2019 was honoured and awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honeur by the French government and the Dutch Liberation Medal by the Netherlands government."
Find out more about the ceremony at the Peace Statue.
2pm to 4pm, The Keep, Woollards Way, Brighton BN1 9BP
From barricades on Brighton beach to street parties throughout the UK, this event will look at how the hardships of the Second World War led to the celebrations and relief of VE Day. Enjoy a series of short talks by the Keep staff who will showcase some of its collections and immerse yourself in a recreated 1940s sitting room.
Councillor Amanda Grimshaw, Deputy Mayor of Brighton & Hove, will introduce the event and reflect on the bombing raids inflicted on Brighton & Hove during the war.
Kevin Bacon, Collections Senior Manager at the University of Sussex, will talk through the wartime experience of the city.
Jessica Scantlebury, Mass Observation Archivist at the University of Sussex, will explore how Mass Observation’s extensive collection of Second World War diaries captured the thoughts and emotions of British people during the war and the celebrations of VE Day.
There will also be a chance to see some original wartime archives, along with collections from Brighton & Hove Museums.
Visit The Keep’s website to book your free ticket.
2pm to 4pm, Brighton Beach Bandstand, Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 2PQ
Swing Field Unit featuring Miss Martha Miller will be performing live swing and dance music from the 1940s at Brighton & Hove's historic seafront bandstand.
The band will be performing in costume as a historically accurate group of musicians from the US 16th Infantry Regiment Band 1st Infantry Division alongside a United Service Organisations singer.
10am to 4pm, Downs Junior School, Rugby Road, Brighton BN1 6ED
Downs Junior School, in partnership with local charity Take Shelter, Brighton & Hove’s underground Second World War air raid shelter, will host a full day of family-friendly activities.
Throughout the day visitors can enjoy guided tours of the school’s extraordinary air raid shelter and museum displaying rare items from the wartime years, a cadet parade, live music from school choirs singing wartime songs, dance art performances and traditional fish and chips.
Visitors will be able to try wartime crafts and vintage fair games, get a taste of vintage style with expert milliner, Sonia Hogg and vintage hair stylists, meet historic vehicle collectors with their vintage D-Day jeep and vintage cars, and a Coaster Bus named after World War II hero Stephen Barnwell from Brighton & Hove buses.
Visitors can also meet and find out more about a range of service and community organisations, including:
It’s a wonderful chance to delve into our city’s heritage, speak to veterans who were children during the war and connect with our community.
Find out more about Take Shelter and Downs Junior School’s VE Day celebrations.
12 noon to 4pm, Brighton Fishing Museum, 194-208 Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 1NB
Commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day during this year's blessing of the nets. Visitors will be able to sample seafood from Brighton's boats and enjoy live folk music and sea shanties and a great atmosphere.
Councillor Amanda Grimshaw, Armed Forces Champion for Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “On Thursday 8 May, our city will stand in solidarity with communities across the UK and the Commonwealth to mark this momentous occasion.
“To mark VE Day 80, Brighton & Hove City Council is working closely with partners across the city to host a series of commemorative events.
“Events like these are a vital reminder of the importance of remembering those who contributed to the war effort - both at home and abroad. They reflect Brighton & Hove’s dedication to honouring the fallen, celebrating the resilience of our communities, and ensuring that the sacrifices made are never forgotten.
“I warmly encourage everyone to join not only to honour those who served and sacrificed during the Second World War, but also to stand in solidarity with all who continue to strive for peace, and to reaffirm our shared commitment to a more peaceful world.”