Remembrance Day 2022: Events, parades and road closures in Bristol

Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday are almost upon us again, with Bristolians set to gather to remember the service of those who defended the UK’s freedoms during the World Wars and conflicts since. There are plenty of events taking place across the city for those who want to pay their respects, from the huge annual Remembrance Sunday service at Bristol Cenotaph to a jazz concert featuring much-loved songs from the wartime eras.

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, marks the moment an armistice was signed between Britain and its allies and Germany, bringing the First World War to an end. The closest Sunday to Armistice Day is celebrated as Remembrance Sunday and is a national opportunity to remember those who have protected our way of life.

On November 11 1919, King George led the first two-minute silence - one year after the end of World War One. He requested the silence so “the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead”.

Some of the following events need to be booked in advance while others will spark road closures, so it’s worth planning ahead. Here is a list of events scheduled to take place to mark Remembrance Sunday in Bristol on November 11 and November 13.

Remembrance Service at Bristol Memorial Stadium

When: Friday, November 11 at 10.30am

Where: Bristol Memorial Stadium,33 Filton Ave, Bristol BS7 0BF

This year’s Remembrance Service at the Memorial Stadium will be held on Friday, November 11. Everyone is invited to attend the event, which starts at 10.30am.

Representatives from Bristol Bears, Bristol Bears Women and Bristol Rugby Former Players join with various clubs and rugby organisations in Bristol to pay their respects to all local rugby players who died in warfare. Bristol Bears and Cardiff Rugby will also mark Armistice Day at Friday’s Anglo-Welsh friendly at Ashton Gate.

Remembrance Sunday - Annual Civic Service at the Cenotaph

When: Sunday, November 13

Where: The Cenotaph, Colston Avenue, Bristol city centre

This service has been held in Bristol on the Sunday nearest to November 11 since 1920 when the Cenotaph was built.The service includes a two minutes’ silence from 11am to 11.02am, followed by the laying of wreaths and a short service.

The annual parade will be led by 39 Signal Regiment based at the Army Reserve Centre in Horfield. Military units, cadet contingents, veterans and related groups will assemble on College Green, ready to march down to the Cenotaph on Colston Avenue for approximately 10.30am.

They will be followed by a mounted police escort and dignitaries from Bristol who collectively make up the Civic Procession. The military parade, other contingents and the civic procession will return to College Green at the end of the service.

A number of city centre roads will be closed for the event, between 5am and 1pm. Diversions and a towaway scheme will be in operation during this time. If you’re gathering before the service, barriers may restrict access to some areas. For more information, visit the Bristol City Council website.

Remembrance Day Showcase at The Old Duke

When: Sunday, November 13 from 12pm - 8.30pm

Where: The Old Duke Jazz and Blues pub at 45 King St, Bristol BS1 4ER

The Old Duke pub is hosting a special bill of top-shelf jazz and blues for Remembrance Sunday, featuring Henry’s Bootblacks, Jack Calloway & The Midnight Creepers and Eddie Martin. Expect non-stop jazz, pomp and circumstance from midday, immediately following the Remembrance parade in Bristol city centre.

Free entry all day. For more information visit The Old Duke website.

Bristol Chamber Choir Music for Remembrance Sunday

When: Sunday, November 13 from 5pm - 6.30pm

Where: The Chapel, St Monica Trust, Cote Lane, Bristol BS9 3UN

Bristol Chamber Choir will be singing music for Remembrance Sunday in the beautiful surroundings of the Chapel at St Monica Trust. The main work will be the Missa Pro Defunctis by Giovanni Anerio and other works by Tippett Brahms, Bruckner and Schutz.

For more information visit the the Bristol Chamber Choir website

City of Bristol Choir: Music of Remembrance at St George’s

When: Sunday, November 13 from 6pm

Where: St George’s Bristol, Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5RR

City of Bristol Choir is pleased to present two intensely moving pieces with their themes of consolation, peace, and reconciliation on Remembrance Sunday. The concert remembers the casualties not only of the World Wars but of more recent conflicts.

Richard Blackford’s beautiful and dramatic setting of the Stabat Mater text is a modern masterpiece that has received many performances around the UK since its composition in 2018. The accompaniment of a string orchestra and solo saxophone add to the pathos and drama.

The choir is ‘delighted’ to welcome back Bristol international soloist Amy Dickson. For more information and to buy tickets visit the St George’s website.