Worthing Armed Forces Day 2024: Details and timings - Will there be Spitfire flypast?

Worthing’s annual Armed Forces Day event will return to Steyne Gardens on Saturday (June 29). between 10am and 4pm.

A Battle of Britain Flypast was planned but will not go ahead, after flights were grounded following a fatal glider collision in Barlavington earlier this month.

There will still be a military band march through town, musical entertainment, displays from military units – with a food and drink court, children’s rides, military charities, military vehicle displays and more. Click here to see photos from the 2023 event.

Organiser Steve Hinton Steve said preparations, which began in November, are ‘going well’ and it ‘should be a really good day’.

He added: “Hopefully we do have [a good turn out]. We've managed to grow it each year so far. We had a decent size crowd last year, hopefully we will get more this year.

"One of my volunteers, Sid Hunt, has personally around 5,000 leaflets in and an round Worthing. That’s not a bad effort for someone in their late 70s.”

Timings of the event

9.45am - Band and bugles of the rifle regiment will be marching through town. Followed by veterans and cadets.

10am - Event opened by Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Lady Emma Barnard.

Steve added: “We've got music from the Vintage Trio. They dress up in WW2 American uniforms and do all the Vera Lynn type songs. They are on for about an hour.”

12.30pm – The Alice Band perform

More music is planned for the afternoon with various displays available for the public to view.

Steve said: “The infantry recruiting team will be there with lots of exciting pieces of equipment. Royal Military Police are turning up with their kit. The army, air and sea cadets all in attendance.

“There will be a food court, beer tent, kid's play area, military vehicles and indoor airsoft shooting range.”