Britain's best 1940s-themed days out
Among the many (many) quirks of British national identity is an enduring fondness for 1940s nostalgia – from street parties festooned with Union Flag bunting, to Vera Lynn records, the jitterbug, Blitz spirit, and stocking seams drawn on with eyebrow pencil.
And with today marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe – when Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 8, 1945 – there's never been a better time to get in on the act.
With various 1940s themed festivities taking place annually across the nation, you certainly won't struggle to find an excuse to don your period-accurate civilian demob suit, reproduction Allied military uniform or polka dot dress.
I grew up with tales of the raucous high jinks and merriment of the era courtesy of my patriotic grandmother. Each September in my twenties, she would crochet a 1940s-style snood hair net for me, and I would descend on the quintessentially English seaside resort of Sheringham in Norfolk for the annual Holt & Sheringham 1940s Weekend (see details below).
It was utterly delightful, and the kind of experience no self-respecting Briton should miss.
To that end, we've curated a complete guide to the best 1940s-themed events to enjoy this summer. As Vera Lynn sang, there'll always be an England – and now is the time to celebrate it.
Melton Mowbray 1940s Weekend, Leicestershire
May 10-11
The Leicestershire market town of Melton Mowbray will hark back to 1940s Britain with activities, fashion, live music, living-history displays and a spectacular Sunday morning parade; 22,000 visitors attended last year. Have a hand-raised pork pie from Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe (Frances Paulet from nearby Wymondham is credited with setting its shape and style in the 1720s) and pop into The Anne of Cleeves pub for a pint.
Wartime Britain 2025: VE Day 80 at the REME Museum, Wiltshire
May 10-11
This month, the REME museum in Wiltshire – which tells the story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers – will have a VE Day-themed escape room trail, complete with codes to crack. The Wartime Britain 2025 weekend will explore the equipment, military life and home front culture of 1940s Britain, with re-enactments bringing the firearms and munitions of the Second World War to life. See vehicles of the era from the Museum's Reserve Vehicle Collection, learn how to swing dance, and sign up for an interactive For Evermore Tour from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
Kent & East Sussex Railway 1940s Weekend, Kent
May 17-18
A weekend of nostalgia, recreating the sights, sounds and fashions of the 1940s with performances from The D Day Darlings (The UK's premier wartime group, signed to Sony Music UK after reaching the finals in ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2018) at Tenterton town station. The heritage railway also stops at Northiam and Bodiam; expect outstanding 40s hairstyles and look out for rationing era re-enactment character Viv the Spiv, with black market goods in tow.
Explore Royal Navy Commando and Desert Rats encampment displays filled with authentic kit, weapons and jeeps, and pause for a photo opportunity at the Land Army display before you make a beeline for the beer tent.
The details: £8 per adult at Tenterden
Hever's Home Front, Kent
June 21-22
At the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, visitors to Hever 's Home Front event are transported back to the 1940s with authentic wartime recipes, military vehicle displays and stalls selling vintage wares. A weekend well-spent in 125 acres of glorious grounds in Edenbridge in Kent, 30 miles south-east of London.
The details: £25 for non-members
The 1940s Experience, Isle of Wight
July 5-6
On Britain's holiday island, locomotion enthusiasts can combine a steam train ride through Isle of Wight countryside with 1940s entertainment, street scenes and costumes. Sergeant Marmite will put new recruits through their paces as the crowd absorbs the Dig for Victory atmosphere, with an authentic Spitfire on display.
The details: £20 per adult including unlimited travel, plus all the activities and entertainment
Where to stay: American Airstreams at nearby Retro Staycations at Hazelgrove Farm cost from £98 per night (minimum two-night stay)
1940s Weekend at the Black Country Living Museum, West Midlands
July 12-13
The Black Country Living Museum in Dudley in the West Midlands was lately in the spotlight as the filming location of Charlie Strong's Scrap Metal Yard on the hit TV show Peaky Blinders. There's plenty of other reasons to visit, however: the attraction tells the story of Britain from the Industrial Revolution to post-war prosperity through living interpretation. As well as vintage attire and demonstrations, there will be performances from The Bluebird Belles and the Kalamazoo Dance Band during the 1940s Weekend.
The details: £20 per adult
Where to stay: The Village hotel in Dudley has rooms from £77
Goodwood Revival, West Sussex
September 12-14
Billed as 'the world's best historic motor sport event', the glamorous Goodwood Revival at the Duke of Richmond's estate near Chichester celebrates the cars and fashion of the 1940s. Pre-order a Goodwood Revival souvenir programme, timetable and radio earpiece to complement the track-action, and book a helicopter flight (£85 per person) for views of the motor circuit and aerodrome. Head to the Revival Style stage with vintage icon Dita von Teese at the helm as judge of 'Best Dressed', and learn how to make-do-and-mend at Revive and Thrive restoration workshops from Goodwood's Heritage Skills Academy. High production values.
The details: General admission £80 per adult (children go free); admission and grandstand packages from £155 per person
Where to stay: The Goodwood Hotel has doubles from £180
Holt & Sheringham 1940s Weekend, North Norfolk
September 19-21
This joyous celebration of history, music and community spirit invites the holidaymakers on which Sheringham's economy largely depends to come and enjoy the town. It draws 40,000 visitors each year, who come to take part in an immersive re-enactment of wartime Britain – and around 5,000 of them, all in period dress, enjoy a ride on North Norfolk Railway's scenic five-mile Poppy Line heritage steam train, linking Sheringham and the Georgian market town of Holt (there is also a park and ride service).
Other attractions include classic car and military vehicle parades, replica Spitfires, pigeon racing, vintage fashion shopping stalls, makeovers, live jazz, swing and dancing in the streets and in the pubs, themed period displays, and photography and ration book competitions (collect stamps at various locations and win prizes).
The details: Admission free
Where to stay: The Kelling Estate holiday cottages cost from £400 (two nights minimum stay)
Salute to the '40s at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent
September 20-21
The Salute to the '40s festival will return to The Historic Dockyard for one final time this September in a last hurrah to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, honouring the resilience and camaraderie of the wartime generation with entertainment from The D-Day Darlings and the Glenn Miller Orchestra, an Air Raid experience and afternoon tea in the Officer's Tent. Visit the Dockyard's exhibition galleries, including 'Steam, Steel & Submarines' and The Ropery, and explore three historic warships, HMS Gannet, HMS Cavalier and HM Submarine Ocelot.
The details: £29 per adult for one day
Where to stay: Stay on board the Royal Navy's last operational Second World War Destroyer, HMS Cavalier, in a ship's bunk. £45 per person with a minimum of £900 per night (20 paying occupants)
1940's Welshpool Weekend
26-28 September 2025
The public is invited to join quaint scenes in 1940s military or civilian British attire for a glimpse into life in a small rural town during the 1940s. Welshpool is in Powys in Montgomeryshire, four miles from the Wales–England border; you can get there on the Birmingham to Aberystwyth Cambrian Coast Line. There will entertainers, trade stands, afternoon tea, a Blitz Ball with Ashby Little Big Band, music from The Swing Commanders, and a Salute the Forties Variety Show, plus child-friendly activities.
The details: Admission free
Where to stay: Bryn Tanat Hall, a 17th-century country house midway between Welshpool and Oswestry, offers accommodation including 14 luxury bedrooms, two lodges and an eco-cabin. From 26-28 September a two night stay in Bryn Tanat Hall (sleeping up to 28 guests) is £4,895, and a two-night stay in Pinelands Lodge sleeping up to 8 guests is £1,245.
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