Liberation Village

The Parish of St Helier and organisers of Liberation 75 are hosting a unique three-day celebration to mark the significance of the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Jersey.

Liberation village is split into different sections. There will be an entertainment quarter in the Royal Square and a food quarter on Broad Street, a street party and pop-up stalls.

Friday 8 May: Children

Today’s theme is children, offering families a chance to enjoy the bank holiday and providing children with creative and fun ways to celebrate Liberation and its significance to Island life.

The street party includes original Victorian funfair rides, creative workshops, food stands and pop-up stalls.

All children are each given free packed lunches as part of their street party experience. There are also street theatres and performers to entertain children at every turn, including singing and dancing on a main stage in Parade Gardens.

The French Market is back once again in Broad Street as part of our three-day celebrations.

Saturday 9 May: Liberation

Liberation will focus on those who were present at the Liberation of Jersey in 1945 and those who were liberated with us; including past and present members of the Armed Forces.

St Helier Parish Hall hosts its annual Liberation breakfast from 7:30am to 9:30am in partnership with Waitrose, and unveil a restored British flag that was the first hung after the fall of Berlin.  This is accompanied by the reading of a poem that honours the history of the flag and the heritage it represents from then through to restoration.

Screens are also available at the Town Hall for those of our guests who feel unable to attend the service at Liberation Square and wish to see the Official Liberation 75 Ceremony.

In the afternoon the Parish of St Helier holds their annual Liberation Day Afternoon Tea. This is for those parishioners who were resident during the Occupation, evacuees, internees or members of the Armed Forces. This is held from 3pm to 5pm.

When the Official Ceremony finishes in Liberation Square and the Royal Square, we re-open the Victorian funfair, food stalls and entertainment stage for people to come down and enjoy the atmosphere in the town centre.

We anticipate a higher than usual attendance given the celebrations of the 75th anniversary and so will be releasing further information in due course, including how to get tickets.

Sunday 10 May: Diversity and heritage

Saturday 10 May is themed on cultural diversity and heritage, with international entertainment acts, food stalls with service from people in traditional cultural costumes, pop-up stalls, the French market and Victorian funfair rides.