VE Day 80th Anniversary Street Party Ideas

Are street parties allowed for VE Day?

Absolutely! Street parties are the traditional way to celebrate VE Day and  communities and neighbourhoods across the UK will be planning events similar to the celebrations that occurred eighty years ago. You will have to complete an application to host a street party, but many local councils have opted to waive the road closure fees for VE Day to encourage the festivities! You must still apply to host a street party six to eight weeks in advance however, so don’t forget and start planning early.

Ideas for VE Day celebrations

VE Day party invitations

VE Day is a historic occasion and a perfect opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate. When hosting a street party, get your invitations out as early as possible to gauge interest in your event. Ask invitees if they would be happy to participate in the planning process as well. It’s important to let surrounding neighbours know about the party regardless of whether they attend or not due to any road closures and expected noise increase. If they want to pop out for some fun and food – the more the merrier!

VE Day party decoration ideas

There are many creative ways to decorate your VE Day street party. Some ideas include:

• Hang up Union Jack bunting and flags for a red, white and blue theme at your street party. A top tip is to find reusable decorations when possible to reduce waste or at least recyclable to keep your event eco-friendly.
• Get the neighbourhood children involved and ask them to draw or create some decorations for the street party. This can be posters, pictures or you can even make or buy blank bunting for the kids to colour in themselves.
• Set out some beautiful flowers to take your street party to the next level. They can also be a nice memento for you or others to take home after the celebration is over.

Food ideas for a VE Day party

No party is complete without a delicious selection of food and drinks! If you’re wondering what to provide at your street party, we’ve got you covered:

• You can keep it traditional for VE Day with sweet treats like a Victoria Sponge or light fruit cake. Pairing cake with tea can give your party a more refined vibe and you can even go all out with a full British afternoon tea and provide finger food like sandwiches, sausage rolls and mini quiches.
• Sweets were part of the weekly rations during World War Two so you can get some retro favourites such as sherbet lemons, fruit pastilles and liquorice. Sweets are always a hit with the children.
• If you’re wanting to cater a full meal, organising a barbeque is perfect for a street party with many people. You can even ask guests to all bring some barbeque items, whether it’s sausages, burgers, buns or side dishes to share the load.

VE Day party entertainment and activities ideas

You may wish to provide some entertainment and activities at your VE Day street party. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Every party needs a bit of music and if you wanted something thematic, there are many playlists you can find that are specifically curated for VE Day celebrations! Find something on your preferred music streaming service or create your own, just make sure you have speakers that can play outside for your party, either with a long cord or wireless.
• Dressing up in 40’s fashion can be a fun way to immerse yourself in the VE Day celebrations. You can dress up as a land girl, factory worker or pilot, for example. Let your guests know in advance if you’re planning on having a costume street party so they have time to prepare an outfit.
• Educational activities can encourage both adults and children to learn more about World War Two and VE Day, since it’s important to acknowledge the reasons we’re celebrating this event. You can host a quiz with relevant questions in which guests get into teams to answer, much like a pub quiz where the winning team can get a small prize.

Important bits for hosting a VE Day party

While there’s a lot to organise for a VE Day street party, here are the important things you should keep in mind:

• You must apply for permission to host a street party from your local council in order to close the roads. Most councils require at least six weeks’ notice before the event and many councils have opted to waive the road closure fee specifically for VE Day street parties.
• Obtain street party insurance to protect yourself against from claims made against you for accidents, injuries or property damage. It’s important to ensure that you’re covered in case any of these accidents do occur since you’ll be financially liable as the host of the street party event.
• You may need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice if you’re planning on selling alcohol or if you think the music and entertainment will go above certain noise regulation limits.
• It’s good practice to inform your neighbours about your street party (and hopefully invite them) so they are well aware that the roads will be closed and there will be an expected noise increase on that day.

Do I need insurance for a VE Day 80^th anniversary street party?

While street party insurance isn’t always required, it helps protect you against unexpected accidents, injuries or property damage. You may also be interested in insurance covering employees, event equipment and event cancellation, all covered with our Street Party Insurance policy here at Event Insurance Services. Get a quote today or contact us for more information.