Armed Forces Day will be celebrated in Cleethorpes again on 16-18 June this year with the largest free event on the east coast – including the return of Cleethorpes Community Carnival will return on the Friday night.
On the ground, here’s a number of current and historic vehicles, including the mighty Chieftain tank, coming to town along with various other tracked armoured vehicles. There is a post-war vehicle collection attending too, including a SAS Pink Panther and a Foden Wrecker. These will be stationed in the Boating Lake in the car park, near the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.
A mounted display troop of 16th Lancers are also taking part again this year, along with “The Cockleshell Heroes” and “24th Regiment of Foot” re-enactment groups. The Lancers will be performing displays on the boating lack paddock over the weekend and will be leading the Saturday parade in their scarlet uniforms.
Meanwhile, the Typhoon display will blast through the skies in the late afternoon on Saturday, and on Sunday, there is planned to be a special display of the Typhoon and Lancaster flying together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid.
Also over the weekend, there will be flying displays by the Yak3, Pitts Specials, Miles Messenger, RAF Tutor Display team and the Starlings Aerobatic Team.
Entertainment will fill the main stage at the Armed Forces Memorial Gate once more throughout the Saturday, but in a change for this year, there will also be entertainment at the bandstand in the Boating Lake to complement the other displays.
The weekend is being supported by traders from Lincolnshire and beyond, with the Big Wheel returning to the leisure centre car park for the weekend, the zip wire and zorb balls in the Boating Lake area, and food, drink and all sorts of gifts available from stands in Pier Gardens, Lower Kingsway and the Boating Lake.
Alex Baxter, MD of the Armed Forces Major Events Team, said: “This is the biggest free event on the east coast to thank our armed forces personnel, past and present, for their service to our country and their support to civilian life. We are a small group of volunteers who organise the weekend, and it takes a lot of planning, but it’s always a fabulous weekend in the resort.”
Friday 16 June:
- Midday: trade areas open at Pier Gardens and Lower Kingsway
- 1.30pm onwards: community groups will take to the main stage at the Armed Forces Memorial Gate with the evening being rounded off with live bands.
- 6pm – 8pm: Cleethorpes Community Carnival: will set off from Grant Street Car Park around 6pm, taking in Alexandra Road, High Cliff Road and finishing near the leisure centre.
- 12noon-5pm: Ground displays and trade open in the Boating Lake
Saturday 17 June:
- 10am: trade areas open
- Armed Forces Memorial Gate Entertainment stage: various acts will take to the stage through the day
- 12.30am to 5pm: Various flying displays from will be over the central beach.
- 1pm: The main parade of vehicles and serving and former military personnel (Grant Street to Cromwell Road)
- 10am to 5pm: Ground-based displays open in the Boating Lake
- Around 3pm: Mounted display troop of 16th Lancers – Boating Lake paddock
- 6.30pm: Sunset parade at the Armed Forces Memorial Gate
- Approx 1030: Laser light display
Sunday 18 June:
- 10am to 5pm: trade areas open
- 1pm to 4.30pm: Flying displays at the central beach
- 10am to 5pm: Ground-based displays in the Boating Lake
- 11am and 2pm: Mounted display troop of 16th Lancers – Boating Lake paddock
