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VE Day is almost upon us but do you know the meaning behind the day and why it’s celebrated in the UK? It’s no surprise that VE Day is being brought up in conversations as we head towards its 80th anniversary. Here’s what we know about the celebration and why it’s marked in the UK calendar. When is VE Day 2025? VE Day will take place on May 8, as it does every year - in 2025, May 8 falls on a Thursday.
Why do we celebrate VE Day? Celebrations are expected to take place across the country on and leading up to May 8. VE Day, short for Victory in Europe Day, is celebrated every year on May 8 to mark the day the Allies formally accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945. Commemorations will mark the end of the war, including a Red Arrows flypast in London and a service at Westminster Abbey with members of the royal family.
Street parties, an installation of 30,000 ceramic poppies and more are also expected. Is there a bank holiday for VE Day’s 80th anniversary? While the UK is being encouraged to enjoy celebrations, there is no bank holiday scheduled for May 8. It will instead be considered a normal day with celebrations taking place throughout the day and week.
You can find out more about the government’s decision to not schedule an extra bank holiday for VE Day in our article, linked below. VE Day 80th anniversary film to be released in May Award-winning actors will star in a Second World War film released to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The National Theatre’s short film will use connected stories to present intergenerational perspectives on the end of the war.
Olivier Award-winning actor Julian Glover, who starred in the James Bond, Indiana Jones and Star Wars film franchises, will feature in The Next Morning screened on May 8. It was written by James Graham who wrote Dear England, a play about former England football manager Gareth Southgate. The film will also feature Sian Phillips, who won a Bafta for her role in I, Claudius, and Joseph Mydell, from the Academy Award-winning film Conclave.
Recommended reading: Is VE Day a bank holiday as the UK celebrates its 80th anniversary? Full list of UK Bank Holidays for 2025 Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “It is absolutely right that we ensure that the stories of those who lived through and fought in the Second World War are remembered by generations to come. “Through the National Theatre, the VE Day 80 concert and our UK-wide exhibition, we will bring to life the stories of those no longer with us so that the next generation are able to honour their sacrifice and recognise the legacy of peace that they fought to secure.” More than 12,500 people including Second World War veterans are expected to attend the VE Day 80 concert on May 8, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said.
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