SOUTHPORT has unveiled its ambition to host “the biggest Armed Forces Festival the UK has ever seen”.
Initially held as Southport Armed Forces Day, the annual event in the town has grown in recent years to become the ‘Southport Armed Forces Festival’.
Taking place on the last weekend in June, it has grown to become the largest and most impressive Armed Forces Day celebration in the North West, with families coming to enjoy a wide range of activities.
Organisers now want to bid for Southport to host the National Armed Forces Day event in 2027, attracting visitors from across the UK to visit a town which has 1 of the largest numbers of Armed Forces personnel and veterans in the country.
They aim to work closely with partners including Sefton Council, with the possibility of arranging the long-running Southport Air Show on the same weekend as Southport Armed Forces Festival in a boost to Southport’s chances of securing the national event.
A plea has now been made for the whole community to get behind the bid and show their support.
Event co-organiser Major Nick McEntee, Director of Southport Armed Forces Community Hub CIC, said:- “Southport is united and ambitious in our shared vision to host National Armed Forces Day in 2027. The event, while officially termed a ‘Day’ by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), will be promoted locally as the ‘National Armed Forces Festival’ and will span the entire weekend of 26-27 June 2027. The vision is to create the ‘biggest and best Armed Forces Day the UK has ever seen’ by combining the event with the Southport Air Show, which would move from its traditional September slot. This collaborative, town-wide effort aims to leverage military assets, local community groups, businesses, and professional support from the MOD to boost Southport’s economy and profile."
He continued:- “Last week Southport hosted the spectacular Lightport event, attracting tens of thousands of families in what was a huge success. It shows what we can achieve. Lightport was the 1st of 4 major exciting new events coming to our town as part of the ‘Southport 2026’ programme. Additionally, The 154th Golf Open Championship returning to Royal Birkdale Golf Club this summer will attract international visitors, with the eyes of the world on Southport. All of this is giving a huge boost and an important opportunity to a town which has endured so much in recent years. We need to build on that momentum and we all need to get behind a substantial legacy event - and this is it. We’d love to secure as much community support as we can from local people, local organisations and local businesses. Any businesses which are keen to come on board and get involved through sponsorship, please get in touch. This is a significant civic opportunity for Southport, and the more organisations that stand behind the bid, the stronger our case will be. We look forward to working with our community as we take the next steps towards delivering an Armed Forces Day that Southport can be truly proud of.”
Work is already happening behind the scenes to stage an impressive event this year.
Major Nick McEntee said:- “This year’s Southport Armed Forces Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 June 2026. The event will be a seamless, town-wide festival encompassing locations from the Promenade to King’s Gardens, Princes Park, The Atkinson, and Southport town centre. We need to show the world what we can achieve, making this a showcase event that builds momentum and really presses our claims for hosting National Armed Forces Day in Southport in 2027.”
The planning is being led by an independent committee operating under the Armed Forces Community Hub CIC.
Southport Royal British Legion (RBL) will provide significant support, including manpower.
The committee, which has a proven track record of delivering large-scale events including a recent royal visit to Southport, will act as a coordinating body, drawing on expertise from various stakeholders.
A credible bid must be submitted to the MOD by August 2026, with a decision expected in October 2026.
