PRESS RELEASE
The Yorkshire Air Museum will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8th with a series of meaningful and celebratory events held on the historic grounds of the former RAF Elvington airbase. Once home to Halifax bombers flying vital missions over Europe from 1943 until the end of the Second World War, the site will honor this milestone with a memorial service and a special wartime-themed weekend titled “We’ll Meet Again,” featuring reenactments, vintage displays, and a 1940s-style street party.
A memorial service will be held in the Museum’s chapel at 11:30 AM on Thursday, May 8th, led by the Museum’s chaplain, Reverend Taff Morgan. The public is invited to attend this moment of reflection and remembrance. In the early afternoon, reenactors will be present on-site, offering visitors the opportunity to take photos in front of the Museum’s iconic Handley Page Halifax bomber, which stands as a powerful symbol of RAF Elvington’s wartime legacy.
The Museum’s popular “We’ll Meet Again” wartime weekend returns on Saturday and Sunday, May 10–11, with a special VE Day twist. From 10 AM to 5 PM each day, the event will feature 1940s reenactors in authentic period dress, vintage military vehicles, interactive demonstrations, and a 1945-style street party with tables set up in the Museum’s main square, or inside the main hangar in case of rain. Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic and join in the festivities or enjoy refreshments available from the onsite café.
Jerry Ibbotson, Communications Manager at the Yorkshire Air Museum, said, “This year’s VE Day anniversary is both a time to remember and to celebrate. Unlike the solemnity of D-Day, VE Day marks the end of six years of struggle. Our chapel service offers a moment of reflection, while the weekend celebrations bring people together, just as they did in 1945. ‘We’ll Meet Again’ is always one of our most popular events, and we think the street party will be a real hit.” Members of the media are welcome to attend the service and the weekend events for interviews, photography, and coverage opportunities. For full event details, visit the Museum’s website at www.yorkshireairmuseum.org/events.
