Scarborough Armed Forces Day 2026 takes place in a landmark year for the town as it marks 400 years since the discovery of its spa waters.
To commemorate the 400-year anniversary of Scarborough becoming a Spa town, a year-long celebration is planned for 2026 with a programme of vibrant events including exhibitions, culture and art displays, family entertainment, and community trails. An artist will also be commissioned to create a heritage installation which will become a permanent feature at Scarborough Spa.
Part of the Scarborough 400 calendar is Scarborough Armed Forces Day. Having taken place annually for nearly 20 years, the event has been drawing in residents and tourists year on year.
At one of the first events in 2010, the town hosted the Homecoming and Freedom Parade featuring the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards and 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
In 2022, the town hosted the Armed Forces Day National Event, marking a significant return following a virtual Armed Forces Day due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This event had a huge impact on the town, drawing in around 100,000 visitors. The event was honoured to host HRH Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, as well as the Type 23 Duke Class Frigate (HMS Westminster), Tide Class Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA Tiderace), and the Red Arrows.
The Armed Forces Day National Event also had stalls and a military village that stretched nearly 2 miles, including Replica Typhoons, helicopters, dive tanks, armoured vehicles, multiple launch rocket systems. Excitingly, it was also the first Armed Forces Day National Event to host an Esports Festival.
The event marked 80-years since D-Day in 2024 through artwork built by members of the community. The 12-metre-long relief sculpture, created by Animated Objects Theatre Company with the help of the community, depicted a life-size D-Day landing craft, made entirely from cardboard.
This year, held June 27, is set to be another success with displays from the RAF Tutor, RAF Typhoon, Hawker Fury, and Calidus Auto Gyro. The event will also host vintage vehicles, community art projects, military parades and much more.