This August North Down Borough Council will be holding a series of events to commemorate the Centenary of the outbreak of World War 1.

The events, which will mirror the National Commemoration Programme will give people the opportunity to reflect and remember this momentous date.

On Saturday, 2 August, from 12 noon – 4.30pm, North Down Museum will be holding a “Reflections of The First World War” event which will include WW1 re-enactments, live music and tours of the “World War, Local People” exhibition which will be running from 30 July to 12 October. This special exhibition will include stories from local people personally affected by WW1.  On August 2, there will also be opportunities to create your own candle holder for The Candle Light Vigil at the ‘Lights Out Workshop,’ taking place from 2pm – 3pm also at North Down Museum.

On the following day, Sunday, 3 August, a Drumhead Service and Commemorative Parade will take place. Following the Drumhead Service, at 2.30pm at The Town Hall, over 600 veterans, serving officers and bands will proceed down Main Street, along Bridge Street, up High Street and finish at The British Legion Hall on Hamilton Road. The Parade will be followed by a Remembrance Picnic in Ward Park from 3pm-5pm, with music in The Bandstand featuring The Templemore Brass Band. This free event is in place of the regular Summer Sundays event.

An Interdenominational Remembrance Church Service will be held at Hamilton Road Presbyterian on Monday, 4 August which will include extracts, readings and praise in remembrance of the Centenary of WW1. Following the church service, a ‘Light’s Out’ Candlit Vigil will take place at the War Memorial in Ward Park.  All lights and candles will be extinguished whilst a one minute silence is observed at 11pm to coincide with lights being turned out across the UK and Europe to mark the outbreak of WW1.  Everyone is welcome to these services to commemorate every service man and woman who died during WW1.

‘Lights Out’ takes inspiration from the famous words of wartime Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, who remarked on August 3, 1914: “the lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.”