This year we are marking 80 years since Guernsey was Liberated after five years of Occupation during WW2. A range of activities will be taking place around Liberation Day on 9th May.
Read on to discover how we'll be celebrating and remembering this special day.
Where are events taking place?
St Peter Port remains the central hub of activity all day, from a vintage fair and live music at Castle Cornet to a drone display and military parade.
Around Guernsey, there will be activities going on in various parishes leading up to and on Liberation Day.
- St Pierre Du Bois will hold a Liberation Day Party at L'Eree, offering a fun coastal alternative to the events in St Peter Port.
- Castel will be holding a family fun day at KGV, as well as a Liberation event with the National Trust of Guernsey at the Folk and Costume Museum in Saumarez Park.
Before Liberation Day
Liberation Event with the National Trust of Guernsey
Location: Folk and Costume Museum at Saumarez Park
Date: Saturday 3rd May
Time: 10am - 5pm
A family fun day at the museum with tea and cake, including Senner's doughnuts and children’s activities such as face painting and pin the tail on the donkey. Guernsey Military Motors and Cycles will be in the museum courtyard, and visitors will be able to explore the museum and shop with free entry all day.
Liberation 80: Batterie Scharnhorst Tour - Journey into History
Location: Batterie Scharnhorst
Date: Sunday 4th May
Time: 2.15pm - 3.30pm
Hear about what the Batterie was used for during the war and get the chance to see two gun emplacements and exclusive photographs from a private collection. Tours include access to the ammunition stores and personnel shelter. Tours cost £16, click here to book.
Liberation 80: Batterie Mirus Tour - Journey into History
Location: Batterie Mirus
Date: Monday 5th May
Time: 10.15am - 12 noon
Join the immersive tour of Batterie Mirus and have the opportunity to experience the incredible scale of the fortification. Exclusive photos of the site during the Occupation will be shown, and a WW2 expert will be in attendance at the tour. This tour costs £19, click here to book.
Liberation 80: Occupation Explorer Tour
Location: start and finish at the Liberation Monument
Date: Thursday 8th May
Time: 10am - 2pm
From the Liberation Monument, the tour will travel by bus to visit some of the most interesting sites encased in important parts of Guernsey’s history. The tour includes the German Underground hospital, German Occupation Museum and Pleinmont Gun Batterie, some of the best beaches on the island will also be featured on the drive back to the Monument. The tour costs £77, click here to book.
Festiva Liberation Day Concert
Location: St James
Date: Thursday 8th May
Time: 7pm - 11pm
Celebrate the 80th Liberation with the Festiva concert under the musical direction of Andrew Warren. Festiva will be joined by guests, including a local choir, the Kintsungi Singers. The concert will include choral and solo performances as well as the traditional Festiva ‘Last Night of the Proms’ section. Doors open at 6pm.
On Liberation Day
Location: L'eree common and beach
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 10am - 11pm
This year’s event includes a service of Thanksgiving at 10am, a live screening of the events in St Peter Port, including the morning parade, cavalcade and fireworks. Live music will be going on alongside the traditional 1940s style singing, film screenings, occupation interviews, rolling images and photographic memorabilia. The event is free of charge for all who want to join.
Liberation Day: Wreath Laying at the War Memorial
Location: War Memorial, Smith Street
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 10.50am
Liberation Day celebrations will start with the sound of the siren and traditional wreath laying at the War Memorial at the top of Smith Street.
Liberation Day: Military Parade
Location: St Peter Port Seafront
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 11am
A military parade along the seafront will follow the wreath laying at the War Memorial.
Liberation Day: Music at Castle Cornet
Location: Castle Cornet
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 12 noon - 5pm
A full day’s programme of music will be on at Castle Cornet as part of the Liberation Day celebrations. Free entry is available all day.
Liberation Day: Vintage Fair
Location: Crown Pier, St Peter Port
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 12 noon - 8pm
Taking Place at Crown Pier will be a vintage fair as well as a live music stage with a full programme of entertainment through the decades.
Liberation Day: Food and Drink Village
Location: North Beach
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 12 noon - 10.30pm
A food and drink village will be at North Beach to keep you fuelled for the celebrations.
Liberation Day: Family Fun Day at KGV
Location: KGV
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 12 noon - 7pm
This family fun day at KGV will have live music, bouncy castle, little pickles rides and many more activities for the children. Hot food and the terrace bar will be open. Free entry for everyone.
Location: North of Guernsey
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 2pm - 6pm
In this year’s cavalcade watch old military vehicles, classic cars and tractors journey through Guernsey roads. The military parade for 2025 is made up of vehicles and floats from Guernsey Military Vehicle Group, Old Car Club and various Parishes. The Cavalcade will also include pedestrians, decorated bicycles, wheelchairs, visiting and local musicians.
Location: North Beach
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 9pm - 9.10pm
150 drones will be launched from North Beach as part of the ten-minute drone display above St Peter Port to celebrate Liberation Day. The display has been choreographed by UK aerial light display provider FlightShows and will be accompanied by music arranged by local composer Jean Owen.
Repeating Events
Location: Cambridge Park, St Peter Port
Date: Friday 9th May - Monday 12th May
Time: Varies
Gandeys Circus brings the 2025 carnival spectacular to Guernsey in time for Liberation Day, prepare the family for an electrifying fusion of circus, magic and the vibrant energy of a world-class carnival. For tickets to one of the performances, click here to book.
Liberation 80: Towers and Bunkers WW2 RIB cruise
Location: Varies
Date: Thursday 8th May 12noon, Thursday 15th May 2.30pm and Tuesday 20th May 4pm
Join this special cruise to see and learn about the German Occupation of Guernsey, the journey passes by Brehon Tower and Fort George before going along the South Coast to look at MP4 and MP5 towers and Batterie Dollmann. On return, the cruise will stop at Batterie Strassburg and learn about Castle Cornet, harbour defences and the story of the harbour bombing. The cruise lasts around 75 minutes and costs £42.50 per adult and £32.50 per child. Click here to book.
Liberation 80: German Underground Hospital Tour
Location: German Underground hospital
Date: Sunday 11th May
Time: 10am - 11am and 11.30am - 12.30pm
Join a guided tour inside the largest structural reminder of the German Occupation existing in the Channel islands. This tour provides you with information on the construction and use of the hospital during WW2, the site also provides interesting exhibitions and aerial footage photographs from WW2 of various areas around Guernsey. Tour price costs £14 for adults.
For more information, please visit the main Liberation 80 page to have a longer browse of the events coming up. We hope to see you there!
