Northern Ireland Armed Forces Day 2025 in Newtownards: Red Arrows will make their only appearance in the Province this year
The Red Arrows will make their only Northern Ireland appearance this year as part of the annual Armed Forces Day event – this year hosted at Newtownards.
Visitors to Newtownards can enjoy breathtaking aerial displays, a military parade and a host of family friendly entertainment, cookery demonstrations and technical challenges when Northern Ireland Armed Forces Day 2025 comes to the town in June.
Ards and North Down Borough Council will host the national event on Saturday 21 June 2025 at Newtownards Airfield, giving visitors an insight into the work of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, as well as celebrating and honouring those who serve and have served.
The aerial display will include the C47 Dakota from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the UK’s premier military parachute display team, the Falcons and the much loved Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows – the only Northern Ireland display in their calendar this year.
Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, said: “We are delighted to host this year’s Northern Ireland Armed Forces Day. Newtownards Airfield offers a lot of scope for action and activity throughout the day, and we look forward to welcoming the thousands of visitors from across Northern Ireland who annually support this superb event. Having such an exciting programme of flying displays will certainly add to the occasion and we are very grateful to the RAF for their support in this respect.
“Our Borough has a close affinity with the Armed Forces and a rich military history through the likes of Colonel Paddy Blair Mayne and Major General Rollo Gillespie of Comber who fought in India so I know it will be a great source of pride to many residents that we are able to host AFD25 in Newtownards.”
The event will start at 10:30am with a band performance and the official regional Armed Forces Day military parade through Newtownards. This will be followed by a special Drumhead Service and Flag Raising at Ards Airfield.
UTV presenter, Paul Clarke, will act as compere and talk visitors through the programme, which will include musical performances from the Band, Bugles, Pipes and Drums Royal Irish Regiment.
See www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/afd25 for updates.