Forward march to free fun and excitement with Leeds Armed Forces Day 2023

Hosted by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, the Armed Forces Day event will span the length of Briggate and will feature lots of free family-friendly activities between 11am – 4 pm on Sunday, 25 June.

As is traditional for Armed Forces Day, there will be plenty of pageantry, with the West Yorkshire Police Band leading a parade of serving armed forces personnel, veterans, and cadets, from Albion Street to Briggate. 

The event will feature a full programme of musical entertainment throughout the day, including performances by the City of Leeds Pipe Band, the Dishforth Military Wives Choir, the 1940s-themed Daisy Belles and the rock covers band, Rocky Road. 

Down the length of Briggate, there will be stalls, stands and marquees with an array of activities, displays, and plenty of people to chat with. Other attractions include military vehicles, face painters and balloon modellers, den building workshops, street entertainers 'The Tank' and 'Dig for Victory', and a climbing wall from Herd Farm. Presenter Richard Stead from BBC Radio Leeds will be compering the day’s events. 

New for this year is the Grand Raffle. One lucky winner can win a flight experience in a vintage de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane. Tickets are only £1 each and can be bought online at the Leeds Box Office.

Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, said: “Armed Forces Day is an excellent opportunity for the whole family to have fun while also recognising and saying thank you to service personnel and their families, both past and present. 

“We are extremely proud of our long and distinguished military history as a city. Therefore, I’m humbled to host a celebration honouring our armed forces' dedication, professionalism, and incredible work, and to take the salute with His Majesty’s representative, the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Mr Ed Anderson. 

“I would also like to offer a big thank you to everyone taking part and who has contributed to the organisation of what has rightly become one of our city’s most popular events in the civic calendar.”

Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom is marked by many events held across the country, celebrating the courage and contribution of the British Armed Forces community: from veterans to currently serving troops, reserves, cadets, and service families. Leeds City Council is most grateful to the Ministry of Defence for their funding towards this event.

More details on Leeds Armed Forces Day 2023 can be found at: https://www.millsqleeds.com/leeds-armed-forces-day/