Armed Forces Day: Air displays, parades and more – what to expect in Falmouth
This year's national Armed Forces Day event is being held in Falmouth today and Cornwall Council expects 100,000 people to attend.
Armed Forces Day is an annual event held to commemorate the service of personnel in the British Armed Forces.
The King has paid tribute to the military in a special message to mark the day, while the Duke of Gloucester will attend the national event in Cornwall.
A Cornwall councillor, who has helped to organise the events in Falmouth, has said "the people of Cornwall will never have seen anything quite like this, on such a vast scale" – so let's take a look at what's going on.
Armed Forces Day 2023 – what's going on?
A tri-service parade – billed as the largest and longest ever seen in Cornwall – will begin at 11:00 in Falmouth with more than 1,00 military personnel, veterans and cadets taking part.
At 11:13 as the Royal Salute from the parade begins, the Red Arrows will fly over the parade, followed by Royal Navy Merlin helicopters and an Avenger aircraft.
Throughout the day, a 'military village' will be open showcasing military assets, demonstrations and interactive activities.
Among the kit on show is a British Army Warrior infantry fighting vehicle and a replica RAF Typhoon fighter jet.
Also running throughout the day are entertainment zones with military demonstrations and live music. Acts include the Culdrose Military Wives Choir, the Royal Marines Combat Display and the Sea Cadets Band.
Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond is moored alongside the Wharf at Falmouth Docks for public tours (entry is free but will be limited to ticket holders) on Saturday and Sunday.
Between 13:00 and 14:00, there will be an Inter Services field gun demonstration on Bar Road.
In the afternoon, there will be a number of air displays over Falmouth Bay.
At 14:20, the RAF Falcons parachute display team will perform, with the drop zone within Pendennis Castle. The display will be visible from outside the castle but if visitors wish to see the action up close they will need to pay for entry.
From 15:00 in Falmouth Bay, there will be a number of air displays from military aircraft – including the Red Arrows, Typhoon, Chinook, Merlin and more.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which features iconic aircraft including the Lancaster bomber and Spitfire, was due to conduct a fly-past but has been grounded due to an engine fault that is being investigated.
In the evening, there will be what organisers are calling a 'Last night of the Proms'-style concert, celebrating and thanking the Armed Forces.
The event at Pendennis Castle is free, but numbers are limited to ticket holders.
Royal Marine Band drummers and the Culdrose Military Wives Choir are among those performing.
The day will culminate at 22:40 with a 10-minute fireworks display over Falmouth Bay.
A food court and bar area will be open for most of the day.
How to get to Armed Forces Day National Event in Falmouth, Cornwall
Cornwall Council is advising all those attending the event to use public transport where possible.
There will also be an all-day Park & Ride service available from Falmouth University's Tremough Campus.
Two adults, including any number of children, can use the local bus service all day across all of Cornwall for £10 (does not include Park & Ride).
Commercial flights are available into Newquay airport, which is around a one-hour drive to Falmouth.
Some trains from London Paddington to Truro are direct. However, some require at least one change and with a journey time of around four to five hours.
Falmouth Town railway station will be closed for passenger safety reasons, although the council says Penryn, Penmere and Falmouth Docks railway stations will be open, and trains typically run every 30 minutes to and from Truro station.
The A30 road into Cornwall is currently undergoing improvement works and will likely add a delay if visitors intend to arrive by road.
Security will be in place and road closures and 'no stopping zones' within Falmouth are expected, so that should be taken into consideration if travelling to the event by car.
All Falmouth town centre car parks will be closed, except for Gyllyngvase – which will be open for disabled parking on Saturday only.
The local council estimates that the event will boost the local economy by up to £7m.
The event began as Veterans' Day in 2006 and became Armed Forces Day in 2009. This is the first time the national event is being held in Cornwall.
A full programme of events and timings is available here on the council's website. There are also events on Sunday.
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