Entertainment & Timings Revealed for North Wales Armed Forces Day

Organisers of North Wales Armed Forces Day in Wrexham on Saturday have released details of a full schedule of entertainment for the day. 

The event opens at 10.00 am with music on the Bandstand from local singer songwriter Luke Gallagher. He will be followed by Saxophone and Keyboard band Duolize who will play a range of hits from George Michael to Gerry Rafferty.

At 11.10 the Army Cadet Corps of Drums and No 2 Air Training Corps Welsh Band will leave the Memorial Hall and will form up on Llwyn Isaf Green which will begin the formalities of the day. The Corps of Drums form the Drumhead for the service which will be ready for the arrival of the main body of the parade from Hightown Barracks at approximately 12.00 noon. On parade will be reservists from North Wales, RAF personnel from RAF Cosford, all three cadet services will be repsresented and veterans from across the area. The parade will be led by the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh, one of the very few all brass bands within the British Army.

The Drumhead Service will be conducted by The Revd (Maj) Tim Blewett, Chaplain to 101Bn REME. The service is expected to last no longer than 25 minutes and will include a welcome from Wrexham Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr David Griffiths, the Hymn Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer, a reading from the Mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Alan Edwards and will include an applause for the Armed Forces and the Armed Forces Day Flag handover to Conwy’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Liz Roberts. The service will conclude with the singing of both national anthems, the British first and finally a rousing rendition of the Welsh National Anthem.

Two RAF Hawks will fly over at 12.30 pm which will signal the end of the formalities for the day.

The Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh led by its Director of Music, Major Denis Burton, will remain on the green to start the afternoon’s entertainment at 12.35 and will play a selection of pieces that will reflect the mood of the crowd.

At 13.10 the Rhos Male Voice Choir will take the audience down memory lane with old favourites such as Road to Tipperary and Keep the Home Fires Burning.

Wrexham County Senior Brass Band will play their part in the celebration at 13.30 before the Battle of Britain Memorial fly past at 14.00.

Arfon Williams, will sing a wide selection of hits from the Police, Lionel Ritchie and Tom Jones. Katie Lou and Alison Williams will continue the entertainment at 14.40 with MACSEN, local four piece family band taking their place who will play from 15.15 until the end of the event at 16.00.

In addition to musical and choral entertainment, there will be free face painting on Queen’s Square and fairground rides at just 50p a ride on Guildhall car park. Wrexham Lager will open for business after the Drumhead Service. The Griffin Helicopter which will be on Llwyn Isaf Green is also expected to be a popular attraction.

The Military Village will include a climbing wall on Queen’s Square and one on Llwyn Isaf. A flight simulator will also be available on Queen’s Square courtesy of the Air Training Corps. Military vehicles will be on Queen’s Square which will include a modern Field Hosptial.

Circus acts will be performing throughout the day on Queen’s Square and Llwyn Isaf and will include jugglers, stilt walkers, balloon modellers, giant games and a circus workshop.

Techniquest and Wrexham Museum will also be there on the day with plenty to amuse and occupy young visitors to their stalls.

Veteran stalls will be on Llwyn Isaf all of which will have information relevant to their work with service personnel who have left the forces and returned to civilian live.

Parade route from the Barracks will be:

Kings Mills Road, Salop Road, Mount Street, Yorke Street, High Street, Hope Street, Queen’s Street, Queen’s Square and onto Llwyn Isaf. Veterans are asked to join the parade at Tuttle Street.

St John’s will be on Queen’s Square to provide medical attention wherever necessary.

Portaloos are located on the Guildhall Car Park.

Wrexham Council would like to extend its thanks to all service personnel and veterans organisations who have provided invaluable support and advice in the organistion of this event.

Also, the organisers are extremely grateful to John Jones, Quality Acoustics Sound System who will be MC for the event and organised the musical performers that have given their time for this event.

Iceland also deserve special thanks after they kindly donated 300 bottles of water to make sure those taking part in the parades had adequate refreshments.

A trimmed version of the map for the day is below, or you can view the full PDF version of the map by clicking here!