Armed Forces Day in Sunderland 2023 to include Hurricane fly-past

Sunderland's armed forces members past and present are being celebrated in the city as party of national events to mark Armed Forces Day, which takes place on June 24.

The Armed Forces Day flag has been raised at City Hall, where it will fly for the weekend, and a programme of family fun and activities will be taking place at Seaburn Recreational Ground on both Saturday and Sunday June 24 and 25.

Armed Forces Day takes place on the last Saturday in June each year to acknowledge the contribution made by military personnel and their families to their country and communities.

The Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Dorothy Trueman, hosted a flag-raising ceremony on Friday June 23and welcomed guests including armed forces veterans and standard bearers.

She said: "Armed Forces Day provides us with the opportunity to think about and pay tribute to all those within the Armed Forces, including their families and support organisations, and acknowledge their contribution to society.

"Sunderland as a city has strong affiliations with the Armed Forces and I would like to take this opportunity to thank and pay tribute to them. I am honoured to represent the people of our city here today, as we join our colleagues across the country in flying the Armed Forces Day flag.”

Across Saturday and Sunday, the free Sunderland Armed Forces Weekend at Seaburn Recreational Ground will include musical performances, children’s entertainment, market stalls, street food, and a fun fair.

A Hurricane flypast from the RAF Air Events Team is due between 1pm and 2pm on Sunday.

The weekend will also see military vehicle enthusiasts, a visit from Darth Vader and his storm troopers, displays from Arcadia Wrestling and a Sunday morning dog show.

There will be various performances from BGT The Soldiers of Swing, tribute act Beyond Madness, Yvonne the Vintage Vocalist, local musician Aiden Balisteros , The Sea Shanty Men and the children's entertainers Winkle and Storm.

For more about what’s on offer, visit Sunderland Armed Forces Weekend - MySunderland