News Maidstone marks VE Day
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) with several events and activities between 8-10 May.
VE Day has been celebrated since 8 May 1945 and communities are coming together in 2025 to acknowledge this important anniversary of the ending of World War II in Europe.
In Maidstone, a ceremonial flag raising service will take place on Thursday 8 May at 11am in Jubilee Square. Visitors can learn more about what life was like for civilians on the Home Front during the war, while service personnel were fighting overseas, with a special exhibition inside the Town Hall that will feature a variety of photos and stories. Some of the accounts focus on the roles of women working in the Fire Service, or feeding the nation through the Land Army. Discover where bombs fell on Maidstone during the Battle of Britain and the damage they caused, as well as how the County Town of Kent celebrated the very first VE Day.
For a chance to get immersed in the history, a selection of military vehicles will be parked outside the Town Hall, in Jubilee Square, during the day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, along with appearances from a member of the Home Guard and a 1940s Housewife. The reenactors will be sharing their stories of life on the Home Front.
There will also be free talks on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 May hosted by Mary Smith, author of ‘A Schoolgirl’s War: The story of school life in World War Two’, featuring fascinating recent discoveries at Maidstone Girls Grammar School that provide a vivid insight into education during the War, including the uncovering of an extensive network of tunnels used as underground classrooms!
Visitors to the Town Hall will have the opportunity to share their own stories and memories about past and present conflicts, which will be turned into a special VE Day commemorative bunting by students at Maidstone Girls Grammar School. The bunting will be displayed in the town centre later this year.
To close the anniversary events programme, All Saints Church will host a concert and Service of Remembrance, featuring music from Marconi Brass, the Brompton & Invicta Military Wives Choir and the Maidstone Singers. The concert is free to attend but tickets must be booked in advance.
Cllr Stephen Thompson, MBC Cabinet Member for Healthier Stronger Communities, commented on the events, saying:
VE Day, as well as being a celebration of peace, is also a time for people to reflect and remember the tragedies and sacrifices caused by war. Like the people of the 1940s, we are brought together and made stronger by our communities, so I encourage everyone to explore those lives in these fascinating exhibitions and talks, and meet new people and reflect on our collective experience as part of this wide range of anniversary events.
The full list of free events and booking information can be found on the Visit Maidstone website: https://www.visitmaidstone.com/whats-on/ve-day