Norwich RAF parade on 14 September: roads to close

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-09-07 18:03 3 min read

An elderly man in a suit plays a brass trumpet outdoors in light rain.

Norwich will mark the opening of Battle of Britain Week with a free public parade and ceremony on Monday 14 September 2026. The event will run from 11.30am to 12.15pm outside City Hall and along St Peter’s Street, with members of the public invited to attend without booking.

The Battle of Britain Week Commemoration and Freedom of the City Parade will bring together RAF personnel, civic representatives, veterans and guests. Norwich City Council has confirmed that the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Norwich will attend.

What spectators will see on St Peter’s Street

Personnel from RAF Marham will parade on St Peter’s Street, accompanied by the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment. The centrepiece of the ceremony will be the RAF exercising its Freedom of the City.

This ancient honour gives military organisations granted the freedom the privilege of marching through the city with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed. During the Norwich ceremony, an RAF officer will present a scroll on the City Hall steps to signify the service’s right to exercise that freedom.

The occasion will also commemorate those who served during the Battle of Britain. Nearly 3,000 RAF aircrew took part in the campaign and defended against two major Luftwaffe attacks in 1940. Their courage and determination led to them becoming known as “the Few”, following Winston Churchill’s tribute to their contribution.

The Lord Mayor described Battle of Britain Week as an opportunity to remember their courage and sacrifice, while recognising Norwich’s relationship with the armed forces and the dedication of those who continue to serve.

Norwich RAF parade on 14 September: roads to close

Readers interested in another free military community programme can also see the planned Armed Forces Day events in Plymouth.

When and where to attend

Detail	Confirmed information
Date	Monday 14 September 2026
Public event time	11.30am to 12.15pm
Location	City Hall and St Peter’s Street, Norwich
Admission	Free; the public is invited to attend
Booking	No booking requirement was specified

The ceremony is centred on the City Hall steps, while the parade will take place on St Peter’s Street. No accessibility arrangements or additional visitor facilities were included in the council announcement.

Road closures start at 10am

The traffic restrictions will begin before the public programme and remain in place briefly after it finishes. St Peter’s Street will be closed from 10am until 12.30pm. The affected part of Bethel Street runs from its junction with St Peter’s Street to The Forum car park and will close for the same period.

Access to The Forum car park will be maintained during the closures, according to Norwich City Council. The council has cautioned that the road arrangements are subject to change, so anyone travelling through this part of central Norwich should plan around the confirmed 10am to 12.30pm restrictions. Those attending should be outside City Hall in time for the 11.30am start.

Source: Norwich City Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

Event timings, location, public access and road restrictions were taken from Norwich City Council’s announcement.

Checks

Confirmed the ceremony date and its 11.30am to 12.15pm running time.
Confirmed City Hall and St Peter’s Street as the event locations.
Confirmed that the public is invited and no booking requirement was stated.
Checked the affected streets, closure period and continued access to The Forum car park.

Norwich City Council Check wider coverage