Armed Forces Day is here again – a perfect chance to celebrate and honour the incredible men and women who make up the Armed Forces community. From those currently serving to their families and veterans, it’s an opportunity to show our appreciation for their dedication and sacrifice!
Armed Forces Day (AFD) is officially observed on June 28th, but our local regions are celebrating it on a few different dates. You’re encouraged to come celebrate with us! Veterans Outreach Support staff and volunteers are very much looking forward to the AFD events in our area.
If you’re not located near Portsmouth, Gosport, Havant or the Isle of Wight, this is a great resource for all AFD events in the UK. If you are local to the area, then we’d love to see you! Here are all the details about where we’ll be:
Several events are happening in the local area for National Armed Forces Week 22-28 June 2026 to showcase this region’s strong connection to the armed forces and to highlight support and opportunities available to its large armed forces community.
These include:
PORTSMOUTH ARMED FORCES DAY EVENT
Saturday 20 June – Armed Forces Day Event – Southsea Common from 10am – 4pm (FREE – No tickets are needed, people and families can just turn up and enjoy the event.) An extra special Portsmouth Armed Forces Day is happening on Saturday 20 June – this year celebrating our forces heroes and Portsmouth’s 100 years as a city.. A packed schedule will see Spitfires soar, a Royal Navy parachute jump and a huge array of military events, vehicles and displays, with entertainment for the whole family. This year visitors have the chance to be part of Portsmouth history. A photo will be captured from an Airbus space satellite of visitors forming the Portsmouth100 logo in the main arena. Time: 11.49am (precise time when the satellite will pass over)
VOS representatives will have a stand at this event, so pop in to see us!
Monday 22nd June – Armed Forces Day Flag Raising (Portsmouth Guildhall) – 09:20 guests assemble in front of the Civic Offices, 09:30 welcome and speeches and raising of the flags.
Wednesday 26 June – 1000 -1200hrs – St Mary’s Hospital, Milton Road, Portsmouth PO3 6AD. There will be a flag raising ceremony in Captain Tom Moore garden, plus poetry reading and our Veterans Voices VOS Singing Group will be singing a tuneful song to honour or Armed Services.
GOSPORT ARMED FORCES DAY EVENT
Monday 22 June – Armed Forces Day Information Hub and Flag Raising Ceremony – A non-commercial event featuring a range of local organisations offering information about support and opportunities to the armed forces community located in Gosport High Street from 9.30am – 1.30pm. The Flag Raising Ceremony will be taking place in Falkland Gardens at 10am.
Wednesday 24 June – HMS Sultan marks 70th anniversary with Freedom Parade in Gosport. Residents are invited to celebrate as HMS Sultan marks its 70th anniversary with a ceremonial Freedom Parade through Gosport. The establishment, granted the Freedom of the Borough in 1975, will exercise its historic right to march through the town on Wednesday 24 June 2026.The parade will gather at Lawrence Square (outside Gosport Town Hall/ Discovery Centre) before marching along the High Street to Falkland Gardens, where the salute will be taken. A commemorative service will take place at 11am.
HAVANT ARMED FORCES WEEK FLAG RAISING
Monday 22 June, A ceremony where the specially-designed flag will be hoisted over the Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, and will fly until Armed Forces Day itself, on Saturday 28 June. Residents are invited to watch the short ceremony, which starts at 10.30am, and pay tribute to past and present service personnel, their partners, and families. After the ceremony, refreshments will be available in the Hollybank Room in the Plaza.
More info here
VOS representatives will be at this event, and our Veterans Voices VOS Singing Group will be in full song in the Holly Room, so we hope you can join us here!
ISLE OF WIGHT ARMED FORCES DAY EVENTS
Sunday 28 June 2026 from 10:30 am at County Hall, High Street, Newport, PO30 1UD, supporting the Island’s 16,000-strong armed forces community. Having grown from 800 attendees to over 10,000 in three years, this year’s civic Flag Raising and Address honours our Armed Forces community.
Find more information about national events and those in your area on the Armed Forces Week website
If you’re a veteran from the UK Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy (from any time of service) or a partner to one, VOS would love for you to join our community. We are here to offer our support: call us on 02392 731 767, visit an upcoming drop-in, or email wellbeing@vosuk.org0
