Festivities planned across Britain to commemorate VE Day 70th anniversary
SEVENTY years after the nation broke out in jubilant celebration at the end of the Second World War, Britons will again take to the streets to commemorate VE Day.
Three days of festivities are being held across the UK to mark the anniversary on 8 May, seven decades to the day after the announcement that Nazi Germany had offered unconditional surrender to the Allies, that brought about the end of the war in Europe.
Veterans will join the Queen and senior members of the Royal Family for a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, beacons will be lit across the country, stars will perform at a 1940s-themed concert in London, and the Red Arrows, as well as Spitfire and Lancaster planes will take to the skies in a flypast over the capital.
People up and down the land are also being encouraged to get involved in the commemorations by dressing up in clothing evoking the era, holding street parties, taking part in a “thunderclap” moment of noise and even enjoying a celebratory “kiss for VE Day”.
On each night of the festivities, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square will be lit with V-shaped lights, mirroring the floodlights that bathed the buildings following victory 70 years ago.
In London, the feeling of euphoria on VE Day was enough to see the Queen, then the 19-yearold Princess Elizabeth, sneak out of Buckingham Palace with Princess Margaret to join in a conga dance at the Ritz Hotel.