Newark to host Armed Forces Day in Newark Market Place this Sunday, June 29

Newark will celebrate its historic connection with the military this weekend as part of Armed Forces Day.

On Sunday (June 29), Newark Market Place will be transformed into a festival of thanks for our servicemen and women with music, stalls and displays, food and drink, and community events throughout the day from 10.30am to 3pm.

A military parade of serving members of the armed forces, cadets, and veteran will set off from the London Road Car Park at approximately 11.20am.

The parade is due to arrive in the Market Place and form up by 11.45am.

The Mayor of Newark and other dignitaries will then address the parade before the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag over Newark Town Hall.

At approximately 12.40pm, the parade will march off, before veterans and their carers are then invited to attend a buffet tea in the Town Hall’s ballroom.

Music and entertainment will continue in the Market Place until 2.45pm.

The event is being organised Newark Town Council, with the support of Newark and Sherwood District Council and RAFA Balderton.

Council armed forces champion, Neil Ross, said: “In this special year, which marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Newark will be holding its annual Armed Forces Day.

“This event will bring the whole community together in gratitude for our soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen.

“Also for our emergency services, health services, reserved occupations, merchant marine, industry, fishing and farming, all of which were vital in seeing the nation through the years when our very existence was threatened between 1939 and 1945.

“We asked our men and women in uniform to shoulder enormous responsibility and risk on our behalf, but our whole nation stood behind them — this is as true today as it was in 1945.

“So, we will be giving thanks for those who have served their country since the end of the second world war, those who continue to serve either as regulars or reservists, and importantly, the next generation who will grow up to shoulder the responsibility for defending our nation.

“We are immensely proud of our military heritage and our history, and we are confident about our future.

“It is right that we should come together with thanks and pride on Armed Forces Day.”

To facilitate the event, a number of town centre road will be closed to traffic from 9pm on Saturday night, to 6pm on Sunday evening.

These are Baldertongate, Cartergate, Bridge Street, Church Street, Stodman Street, and the Market Place.